The Kidnapping
by halliwelldream
Summary: Set after 1.08, 12:04. It's been a slow week for Beth, but things suddenly get more interesting when Mick approaches her with a case of a missing infant that may be connected to the theft spree that she has been covering. MickBeth.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first attempt at fan fiction, so I would love to hear feedback! I know I posted another story prior to this, but I've actually been working on this one for awhile now. There are several more chapters ready to go; I'll post them as soon as I can.

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters

* * *

Beth Turner sighed as she wrapped up her live report. Some days, her job drove her insane. Though considering the lack of any major crimes lately, Beth had to admit that she was lucky to be here. She was almost certain that Maureen had been on the verge of sending her to cover a high-profile photoshoot, probably in the hopes that there would be a repeat of the black crystal incident. Somehow, Beth doubted the likelihood of that happening. The black crystal incident had been… unique. She should know; she had experienced it firsthand. 

Beth gave one final, sweeping glance at the crime scene, though it hardly deserved to be called as such. There was no yellow tape to incite the curiosity of civilians, no noisy hustle of reporters scrambling to get the scoop. In fact, there were only two patrol cars and had it not been for the smashed convenience store window nearby, Beth would have thought they were off-duty. So much for her big break of the week. After all, petty thievery—even a string of seemingly related ones—could only be embellished to such a degree.

"Beth."

_Mick! _Beth recognized his voice immediately and turned towards his voice to see him approaching. For some reason she could not fathom, she was delighted to see him here. "Stocking up on human necessities?" she teased, by way of greeting.

Mick laughed. "You don't know how much I wish that were true!"

"So what brings you here on such a fair night? Shouldn't you be out doing… doing whatever it is you do?"

Mick raised an eye. "Well, I _am_ a PI and this _is_ a crime scene…"

"You're here on an investigation?" Beth asked incredulously.

"I saw your report."

Briefly, Beth's eyes flickered up to his. For a moment, she had thought he had meant that he had come to see _her_. But he had simply paused in his explanation, that was all. At least that's what Beth tried to tell herself. _Stop looking for hidden messages that aren't there,_ she chided herself.

"Beth. This story you're covering… I think it may be related to my case."

Beth perked up, all awkward thoughts forgotten. Looked like this story was more than just another dead end after all.

She smiled up at Mick. "Tell me more."

* * *

Beth's excitement was infectious, Mick noted as he smiled back at her. He hadn't even told her the details of the case yet but already she was acting as if he had given her a gift.

"For about a week now, I've been looking into the disappearance of a very young girl," Mick began. "Her mother came to me in tears, begging me to find her daughter."

Beth's eyes widened. "You mean kind of like how my mother asked you to find me?"

Mick glanced at her sharply, but her expression was unreadable. It had been almost two weeks since she had confronted him but still, the memory burned vividly in his mind. Too vividly for him to broach the subject—at least not in the way Beth had, cool and collected.

_"Why did you hide it?" She tossed the file on the ledge, glancing at him. "Made me think it was in my imagination." _

_Mick placed his hand on the file, bringing it closer to him without opening it. He didn't need to look down to guess the name on the tab but he did anyway. Anything to avoid looking at Beth. _

"_You have every right to be angry." What else was he suppose to say? What else _could_ he say?_

_Her gaze didn't falter. "I'm not angry." Mick looked up then, and she continued, "I found my guardian angel."_

_Mick half scoffed, half laughed in disbelief. Guardian angel. Right. He had rescued her, yes, but he was far from what she believed him to be. But hearing it from her… hearing it from her, he could almost believe it. He knew that she was waiting for him to respond but he didn't know what to say so he let the silence between them stretch._

_Beth seemed to accept that he wouldn't answer so she broke the silence, her voice filled with unshed tears. "I just wish… I just wish he'd talk to me."_

In some ways, it would've been easier if she had been angry. He could deal with anger. Anger was a simple, clean-cut emotion. Ugly, yes, but uncomplicated. Part of him had hoped that she would give him that simplicity but a bigger part of him had been glad that she had chosen not to walk away. Instead, the way she had looked at him, the things she had said had been anything but uncomplicated.

"Mick?" Beth pressed, her voice expectant.

Mick hesitated, suddenly confused. Memory overlapped the present, making it hard for him to sort out what she was asking, much less muster an intelligent response. Besides, he couldn't shake the feeling that Beth's question had a hidden level, a question within a question.

"Yes," he answered finally, not sure what else to say, but not sure that his answer had been sufficient. "But this girl, she's only an infant—three months old."

"Three months old?! Who would take an infant?"

"We'll see. But whoever took her left nothing behind. She was taken in the middle of the night and nothing in the house was disturbed. _Nothing_. Doors, windows—there were no signs that they had been tampered. The police dusted for prints and nothing unusual turned up."

"What about you?"

"There was nothing Beth. I'm telling you, it's as if he walked in the front door and walked back out with her."

"Mick, are you sure she's still alive? You said yourself that you've been working on this case for a week."

"I wasn't until tonight."

"You mean when you saw my report?"

"Yes."

"You think my thief is the guy you're looking for," Beth said slowly, piecing everything together. "It makes sense; all that's ever missing from these heists are baby supplies and mostly diapers and formulas. It all started a little less than a week ago and this girl you're looking for, she was taken…?"

"A little more than a week ago," Mick replied, confirming her suspicion.

Beth started walking towards the convenience store, her quick steps echoing on the pavement. "I didn't think to ask so thoroughly before but someone must have seen something this time. He broke a window. Usually, all he leaves is a mess in the baby aisle but if he broke the front window, someone has to know something or have seen something."

"Beth," Mick called, following her. "Beth, stop. I've already… you know… sniffed around. And I've asked around. That window on the pavement and the mess inside are the only clues he left."

Beth came to a stop and turned back to Mick. She was silent for a moment. "So what are we going to do?"

"Right now? You go home and get some rest. I'll go and talk to Anna again. See if I missed anything."

Beth looked ready to argue but seemed to decide against it. "I'll do a little research. See if anything stands out. Keep me updated."

"I will."

"Good night, Mick."

"Good night, Beth." He breathed in her lingering scent and watched her disappear into her car before he turned and walked into the night. It was time to speed things up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

"I've missed you," Josh murmured as he bent down to give Beth a kiss on the cheek.

Beth looked up from her laptop briefly to smile back at him as he seated himself across from her. "I've missed you too," she replied honestly. And she had, but now that he was back in town, Beth wasn't sure how she felt.

"_So what are we going to do?"_

"_Right now? You go home and get some rest. I'll go and talk to Anna again. See if I missed anything."_

Beth had been ready to protest. If they were going to work on the case together, why couldn't she come along? But then she had remembered that Josh was back. She hadn't been able to meet him when his flight had come in earlier so she had promised to be home tonight so they could spend some time together, catch up, laugh.

"So how was New York?" Beth asked, voice bright in an attempt to hide the guilt that was flooding her over her readiness to brush her night with Josh aside.

"New York was a good change of pace. Nothing too exciting but good. You know what they say—if you've seen one city, you've seen them all."

Beth laughed, feeling her tension ease. "Well if it's any consolation, this has got to be LA's slowest week."

"Yeah, I've seen your reports." Josh grinned. "'Tonight, our burglar was gracious enough to leave a broken window on the pavement. Police are currently sifting through the damage to see if any incriminating evidence can be recovered.'"

Beth's eyes sparkled. "Okay, so maybe I exaggerated things a little, earlier but with a little digging, this story will be big!"

"Come on, Beth. Be serious now. If there _were_ a bigger story, the police would be all over it."

"Maybe. But with any luck, we'll have the case solved before the police make the connection," Beth replied distractedly, eyes rapidly taking in what her laptop screen had to offer.

"We?" Josh's smile faded. "As in you and…?"

Beth froze. _Stupid, stupid, stupid,_ she berated herself. She had forgotten for a moment how delicate things were between Josh and her. Up until then, the evening had almost been like old times again.

"Josh…" Beth began cautiously.

"It's Mick St. John isn't it? _We_ is you and Mick St. John."

"So what if it is? We work well together."

"Beth, you know how I feel about him."

"About him? Or about me working with him?" Beth challenged.

"You can't tell me there's nothing between the two of you. I saw it. I _felt_ it."

"Don't you trust me?"

"It's not about trust, Beth."

"Then why are we having this conversation? Again?"

"There's something about him. I can't explain it but something about him is—"

"_I_ trust him, Josh," Beth interrupted. "That's good enough for me. Why can't it be good enough for you?"

"That's just it, Beth," Josh vented. "You _shouldn't _trust him. At least, not the way you do."

Beth was silent. She didn't understand what it was about Mick that drove Josh insane but she knew that no matter what she argued, she still wouldn't be able to appease him about her working with Mick. She decided that the best thing to do was to extend a truce.

"Josh, is this really how we want to spend your first night back? Arguing?"

Josh's shoulders slumped. "You're right. It's late, and we're both adults. Tired but adults. Let's… eat. You hungry?"

_No._ But if she said that, it would just make things worse, just increase the friction that was already in the room. So she smiled tiredly. "Yes. I'm starving."

He smiled back fleetingly. "I'll pick up some Chinese." He stood and walked towards the door.

"Josh?" Beth called when he was halfway out the door.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry," she offered. _Sorry that you can't see the real Mick, the Mick I know and trust._

He smiled more genuinely then. "Yeah. Me too."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

Mick ducked into the cool sanctuary of Buzzwire and dropped the hand that had been shielding his face, glad to be out of the morning sun. He pulled his sunglasses off and set off to find Beth. The building teemed with activity but Mick navigated the hubbub easily; the way to Beth's cubicle was so familiar to him that he barely thought about where he was going.

He wasn't surprised to find Beth working intently, so concentrated on what she was doing that she hadn't detected his presence. _Probably researching,_ he mused as he watched her, smiling.

"Beth," he called out finally.

She started, but by the time she had turned to face him, she had composed herself. "Mick! There you are. I was beginning to wonder."

He looked at her, amused. "You thought I wouldn't show?"

"I—ah… well, you're late and—"

"Sorry!" Mick was laughing now.

"And you're not a morning person!" Beth finished triumphantly.

"True," Mick acknowledged, pulling a chair up for himself. He gestured to the paper piles on her desk. "But it looks like you didn't miss me anyway. What did you find?"

"A lot of things—mostly logs and surveillance stuff—but I'm not sure if any of it makes much sense." She pushed a thick file folder toward him. "See for yourself."

Mick flipped the folder open and sorted through the photos stacked on top. "Surveillance photos?" he guessed.

"Yes. But they don't show us anything we _don't_ know. And the videos didn't shed much light either. He's either the luckiest criminal or the most well-planned."

"Do you still have the videos?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Maybe I should take a look at them later, see if you missed anything."

Beth nodded. "I should warn you though—I think we may be looking for more than one culprit."

Mick set the photos back on the table. "What do you mean?"

"Well look at the timestamps on those." Beth reached over and sifted through the stack of photos. When she found the ones she had been looking for, she fanned them across the desk.

"These were all taken the night the thefts began," Beth explained as Mick studied the photos. "They're from five different locations but the timestamps are within an hour of each other. An _hour!_ Mick, these stores were all over the city and it's not like they were hit in any particular order either! Nobody can move that fast."

"Really?" Mick glanced at her, eyes raised.

"No _human_," Beth amended, lips twitching as she suppressed the urge to smile.

Mick's eyes danced with mischief. "Sure you want rule us out already?"

Beth gathered the photos and dropped them back in the folder. "Do vampires generally shop for babies?" she queried sweetly.

Mick's lips twitched but the laughter in his eyes gave him away. "Was much missing?"

"From each store? No. But add it all up and the loot is pretty substantial."

"Hmm. Any patterns, tendencies?"

"Not in the stores targeted but after the first night, only one store was hit per outing. And the first night, anything in the baby aisle was fair game but after that, mostly formula and diapers went missing."

"You're sure that baby supplies were the only things stolen?"

"If he—or they—took anything else, he didn't take enough to make it obvious," Beth replied. "But most of the stores did an inventory check and everything else was accounted for."

Mick skimmed through the logs. "Nothing looks out of place," he murmured.

"You know, what I don't get is, why kidnap a child to rear if you don't have the means to support it?"

"Maybe he was lonely," Mick suggested. "Children make loyal companions."

"This is someone else's child we're talking about! If he was so lonely, he could have gotten a dog! Why kidnap an infant? How could he raise her knowing she was never his to begin with, that she was a light in someone else's world?" Beth's tone was casual. _Too_ casual.

Mick's eyes stilled, mid-skim. He could feel Beth's eyes on him. _Damn_ _it!_ She backed him into a corner—again! "Beth…" His voiced trailed off.

"Don't 'Beth' me. I just want answers, that's all."

Mick tugged at his collar. The room felt uncomfortably warm all of a sudden. What was he supposed to say to that? What did she want him to say? That what Coraline did had been wrong, inexcusable? It was already something they both knew, even if they didn't voice it.

"Mick!" Her voice was impatient, pleading.

The air between them seemed to thicken until, to Mick's relief, his phone rang, jarring the silence. Deftly, he rose and pulled the phone out of his pocket, answering it while trying to ignore the displeasure on Beth's face. It was Anna.

"Hello?" Even as Mick spoke, he could tell that something was wrong. She was breathing much too fast. His throat tightened. Had the kidnapper tried to contact her?

Her voice was high-pitched and frantic. She spoke so fast that her words slurred together, making it nearly impossible for Mick to pick out what she was saying.

"Anna, Anna. You have to slow down. I can't understand you when you're talking this fast; slow down and tell me what happened." He could hear her breathing, trying to do as he asked. Finally, after several attempts, she was able to slow down enough to explain what had happened. "We'll be right over," Mick reassured. "Try to stay calm."

He slipped the phone back in his pocket and turned to Beth. "That was Anna; someone broke in. She already called the police—it would be best if we get there before they do."

"Well then come on! What are we waiting for?" Beth exclaimed. As she spoke, her displeasure vanished and the air rushed back into the room.

"Let's go," Mick agreed. He slipped on his sunglasses and hurried toward the door with Beth close behind. _Think about Anna, think about Anna,_ he coached himself. But his mind kept wandering back to what had just happened between him and Beth.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

"So tell me about your case," Beth said as Mick navigated his car out of the Buzzwire parking lot. "I've told you everything I know about my case and all I know about yours is that you were hired by a woman named Anna. This is not what the definition of working together is, Mick." 

"I was hired by a woman named Anna _Worrester_," Mick corrected, smiling. "Where do you want me to start?"

Beth contemplated his question for a moment. "Since we're looking for the baby, tell me about her."

"You already know Gilly's three months old; besides that, there's not much to tell. She's an easy sleeper, a fussy eater, and plays with just about anything; nothing that would distinguish her if we were to find her among a group of infants."

"Okay. What about the husband? Does he drink? Get caught in meaningless brawls?"

"Better. Actually, I think Shane's your kind of guy; he's a mystery." Mick's eyes twinkled behind his sunglasses.

"_What_?!" Beth choked out, pulse quickening. _Mystery?! Mick thinks I look for mystery in a guy?_ "What do you mean?"

"He disappeared three months ago. Isn't this the kind of story you thrive on?"

Beth relaxed—he hadn't been talking about her personal life after all. "Very funny, Mick. But three months. That's interesting. So you're telling me he disappeared after—"

"After Gilly's birth? Yes. Great guy, isn't he?" Mick's voice seethed with an undercurrent of anger, shifting the mood in the car.

Beth glanced at him, surprised at the intensity of his anger. "You think he walked away from them?"

"Newborn first child, first-time parent—it wouldn't be a surprise."

"But if he did walk away, isn't it absurd to remain 'missing'? He couldn't have just disappeared without a trace."

"If you want to disappear enough, you can," Mick replied softly.

The regret in his voice made Beth ache, but it also triggered something in her mind and she felt a sudden burst of understanding. "That's what you did, isn't it? After you were Turned? No warnings, no goodbyes. You just 'disappeared', left all the people you cared about behind."

"I had to! I couldn't risk hurting them. If I could have stayed, I would have. I wouldn't have chosen to walk away; I would have given anything to not walk away." His voice had risen several pitches and was harsh with self-hatred.

"Maybe Shane didn't walk away. Disappearing is certainly elaborate if your only motive is to escape parenthood."

"Maybe," Mick conceded with a shrug. The lights turned red and he brought the car to a stop, dropping his hands from the steering wheel. "But wherever he is, he can start over, build a new life. He can afford the luxury of company, real human company, but I couldn't—I _can't_. I don't even have a choice; I have to do it alone."

Beth shuddered at how impassive his voice was, as if he had rehearsed the line over and over until he had convinced himself that it was true. She was glad that she couldn't see his eyes and the self-loathing that must have been there. Still, Beth tucked the moment away with all the other moments she clung to because they had brought her closer to Mick St. John, if only by the merest fraction of an inch.

Beth slid her hand over Mick's and intertwined her fingers with his. "You are _not_ alone," she said firmly. _Or at least you don't have to be…_


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

"Please, come in," Anna urged, stepping back and opening the door to Mick and Beth. 

"Anna, this is Beth Turner. Beth, Anna Worrester," Mick introduced, ushering Beth in before stepping in himself.

"Glad to finally meet you," Anna acknowledged with a tired smile. "Mick has said some wonderful things about you."

"Has he?" Beth returned the smile, liking Anna already. The bags under her eyes indicated exhaustion but the warmth in her dark brown eyes were genuine.

"He assured me that if anyone could help him find Gilly, it's you."

Beth shifted slightly so that her body was angled towards Mick, holding his gaze as she answered. "I'm glad the buzz is good."

Mick bit back a smile. He shouldn't have been surprised that Beth remembered a conversation from several months back but he was; it had been a relatively insignificant conversation he recalled, though it did stand out in his mind because it had been the one occasion that Josh Lindsey had asked for his help. The DA didn't like him and Mick suspected that it was, in part, due to his close friendship with Beth.

_Focus_, Mick reminded himself, turning his attention to Anna. "Why don't you tell us what happened?"

"There isn't much to tell," Anna confessed, leading them upstairs. "I was in the nursery when I heard a sound. A thud—kind of like when you drop something heavy or dense. I thought I was imagining it at first; with Gilly gone, the house has been quiet so I've learned not to jump at every little sound."

Anna came to a stop as they reached the end of the hall. "This is my bedroom," she explained, indicating the door in front of them. "When I finally decided to investigate, I followed the sound here." She pushed the bedroom door open and stepped in to turn on the lights.

"Oh my god…" Beth's eyes widened when she saw the illuminated room. Her eyes had been immediately drawn to the colorful mess on the floor. Several large photo albums were scattered throughout the room, hundreds of photos spilling out of each. The way the photos fanned across the carpeted floor made Beth suspect that the albums had been thrown, perhaps in a fit of rage.

Mick stepped around Beth to get a closer look. He made a full circuit around the room, eyes intent on taking in even the smallest detail.

Beth squatted down and examined the photos without touching them. "Are these all pictures of you and your husband?"

"There are some with Gilly too. Shane and I used to love snapshoting moments we shared; we never went anywhere without a camera. We kept all the albums in here so we could laugh and reminisce over them at the end of the day."

"Did you get a look at whoever did this?" Beth asked, standing.

"It was man; that was all I could tell. When I came in, the first thing I noticed were the photos and when I turned on the lights to get a better look, I noticed him but he ran off so fast I don't even know how he got out."

Mick came to join them, his examination of the room complete. "Did you touch anything after he left?"

Anna shook her head. "I checked to see if anything was missing, but other than that, no. Why?"

"Know anything about that?" Mick gestured to the foot of the bed where an ornate silver picture frame lay. The glass was spiderwebbed with cracks, but it was clear that the picture inside was Shane and Anna's wedding photo.

Anna shuddered. "He was standing at the dresser when I came in; I didn't realize he was looking at it at first because his back was turned, but when he ran off, I heard it drop."

"Well, there's nothing here." Mick's voice held a note of frustration.

"You said you checked to see if anything was missing…" Beth ventured.

"It's strange actually…" Anna replied slowly. "He made a mess of my drawers, but the only thing missing is a sweater…"

"A sweater?" Beth looked at her, perplexed. "Was it expensive?"

"It was nothing special really. I only noticed it was missing because Shane used to say that it was his favorite sweater. Said it reminded him of us because I wore it on our first date."

"Just the sweater is missing?" Mick asked. "Nothing of Gilly's?"

"Just the sweater."

"We'll leave this up to the cops then," Mick decided. "Beth and I will run our own investigations. We _will_ find Gilly, Anna."

She smiled faintly. "Thank you."

* * *

"It has to be Shane, Mick!" Beth argued after they had left Anna's house. "That's twice Anna's house has been broken into with no one the wiser until it was too late. And if that's not enough proof, think about the sweater!"

"It could be a coincidence."

Beth scoffed. "You're an 85 year old vampire and you expect me to believe that you believe in coincidences?"

"And here I thought we were all entitled to our opinions."

"What's your theory then, if you're so convinced it's not Shane?"

"I'm not saying that it's not Shane. Just that if it _is_, something's off. Shane was an accountant, Beth. Breaking and entering is not a listed skill for accountants."

"You never know. Humans are full of surprises."

"I've noticed," Mick replied dryly.

"So where are we headed?"

"We? Don't you have a job to get back to?"

"Ever the practical one, aren't you?"

"Someone has to be."

"I'm sure Buzzwire can survive one day without me. Besides, this _is_ my job."

"I'll drive you back."

"You don't have any leads, do you?"

Mick shook his head. "That quick mind of yours will get you in trouble one day."

"Not if _you_ can help it," Beth replied sweetly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

_Darkness pressed down on Beth, unnatural, unrelenting. She couldn't see where she was, didn't know where she was, but she felt a growing sense of fear. The kind of fear she hadn't felt in 22 years. Beth inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. She had to get out of this place, this too quiet darkness. She stumbled forward and to her horror, the ground crumbled beneath her._

_Blurs of color rushed past her, swallowing the darkness. Wind whipped at her hair as she felt her body accelerating to a terrifying speed. Finally, the world stilled and the sensation of falling faded away. Beth was on her feet, unharmed, gasping for breath._

_Daylight was all around her but when she looked around, Beth realized she was surrounded by soaring walls of barely framed glass. Beautiful, breathtaking, but Beth felt her breath catch for a different reason. The glass sparkled, the white interior was spotless. It couldn't be… there had to be a mistake. It was as if no time had passed, as if the house was still lived in. Beth knew that wasn't right; it_couldn't_ be right. She whirled around, only to find herself in a child's bedroom. The pink and white theme, the delicate leaf-patterned curtains, the white walls, the toys lovingly arranged—Beth felt the memories crashing back down on her._

"_Hey honey."_

_Beth's eyes flitted across the room wildly; it was empty. Still, the voice sent chills rushing down her back and running down her arms._

"_I'm going to take you to meet your new daddy," the voice cooed delightedly._

_And suddenly, she was four years old again, huddled in a corner, watching as her guardian angel fought with her deadly-beautiful, deadly-strong captor. He won—it had been a terrible fight but he had won. Beth had known he would. After all, guardian angels always won, didn't they? But as he carried her away, as he distanced her from the nightmare, she couldn't help but stare back._

_Beth watched with wide eyes as flames licked the warehouse and clung to the woman pressed against the inside of the door; it never once occurred to her that she could have closed her eyes, that it was over and she didn't have to look. She couldn't stop staring at those eyes…_

…_those terrible and beautiful eyes. Frosty blue, dilated. The eyes of the woman who had kidnapped her, the eyes of the man who had saved her. Eyes she thought she had imagined. Mick was huddled on the floor, hair drenched with sweat, blood streaked down his chin, and obviously in pain. But Beth's focus kept returning to his eyes, eyes she had thought she would never see again._

"_What are you?" Her voice was soft, her heart was beating slightly faster than usual. But she wasn't scared; at least, not completely._

"_I'm a vampire," he rasped harshly, resignedly._

_The world seemed to stop for Beth. Impossible, yet not so impossible. Much like that night Mick had told her the truth about Coraline._

"_That woman was murdered." Beth glanced up at him from where she was sitting._

"_So was Coraline."_

"_By who?"_

_He closed the distance between them until he was standing in front of her. Beth kept her eyes on him the entire time. "By me."_

_Beth was silent for a moment, trying to gauge the circumstances. Her gaze flicked down, then up to his. "How did that happen?"_

_Mick's head shifted as he looked down her. "You don't know, do you?" His voice held a hint of wonder, yet it was infuriatingly calm._

_Beth's voice rose a pitch. "How would I know?" Why did everything with him have to be a mystery, a half-truth? He trusted her, he had said, but clearly he didn't trust that she would stay, no matter how shady his past._

_But now, she understood. The memory of the fire replayed in her mind. The woman burning in the flames. Except she hadn't been a woman. She had been a vampire. She had been Coraline._

How would I know…_ the words echoed in her mind, repeating themselves over and over._

Beth sat up with a jolt. She stared at her beeping clock. Was it really morning already? Her mind drifted back to her dreams. Every time she found just a little more of the truth, they came back. She wished she could talk to someone, someone who could help her sort it all out. Josh was out of the question. He would just think she was obsessing over Mick and get angry. She was glad that he hadn't spent the night, that he had been tied up at the office and she didn't have to explain why she was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

"_Beth, I'm really sorry. This isn't what I want but I have to do this," Josh had said apologetically over the phone._

"_It's okay."_

"_I know we haven't been doing great lately but this is important," he rambled._

"_Josh, it's okay. I understand."_

"_I want to make things right between us; I really do. I know what you must be thinking but I'll make it up to you, I promise. I—"_

"_Josh! It's okay. Really!"_

"_We'll talk tomorrow then?"_

"_Tomorrow," Beth agreed._

Beth felt guilty admitting it to herself, but Josh's call hadn't affected her much either way. These days, they were always putting each other on hold, promising to make it up later. What made her feel guiltier was that she had gotten use to sleeping alone, without Josh beside her. Maybe she even relished it. It had been easier than she had thought it would be.

Then there was Mick. Beth didn't doubt that he'd understand but talking to him would give her more questions than answers. But maybe that didn't matter so much anymore. She just wanted the truth, even if it led to more questions. Questions that she was sure she could find the answers to eventually.

Beth sighed and resisted the urge to flop back down on her pillow. She sat in the semidarkness, not bothering with the light her lamp could offer. She loved sunlight but there was something comforting about the darkness that prevailed in the early morning, before the sun had fully risen. Since her kidnapping, she had always felt safe in the darkness. The kind of safe she had felt in Mick's arms when he had promised to bring her home and again when he had saved her from Christian Ellis.

Finally, Beth roused herself from her thoughts. She rose to get coffee started and freshen herself up. She _would_ talk to Mick, she decided.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

"Beth!" Maureen strode toward her, expression serious. "You still working on that theft spree story?" 

Beth leaned back from her computer screen. "Well there's no solid evidence yet, but I'm working to connect this to a kidnapping."

Maureen nodded approvingly. "I like it. I've got a fresh one for you. It's just a few streets down and the cops are already all over it."

"Cops? Really?" Beth stood. "I'm on my way."

Maureen smiled. "That's what I like to hear." She handed Beth a slip of paper. "Here's the address." 

* * *

Mick grimaced as he stepped around the mess of people. If there was one thing that hadn't changed about LAPD in 55 years, it was that on cases like these, they always got involved the moment the trail became discernible, never before. And of course, that was usually the point at which Mick was already midway into his _own_ investigation of the same case. Police involvement complicated matters, made it harder for Mick to get the information he needed quickly and subtly. _Always leaving their scent all over the place,_

Mick thought resignedly.

Even with all the extra layers of smells, Mick could tell almost immediately that there was blood on the scene. There was nothing like the scent of freshly shed blood to a vampire. He hurried toward the store, pausing long enough to flash his credentials at the uniformed men who had been eyeing him suspiciously. As he neared the store, he began to pick up the scent of desperation. That was new.

He followed the trail of lingering emotion to the baby aisle which, unsurprisingly, was also the source of the fresh blood. The characteristic mess was there, but this seemed to have been more hurried. Merchandise was strewn down the aisle, entire shelves were almost bare and most of what was on the floor had suffered some damage.

There were police officers spilled all over the scene but the scent of what had happened was still fresh enough for Mick to get a clear image. Finally.

_A man with unkempt sandy blond hair, dressed in black, face hidden is the focus. He is half-crouched, motions frantic as he tosses can after can of formula off the shelves, seemingly unaware of the racket he is making._

_Another man approaches, this one older with grey-black balding hair. His footsteps are quick, his anger and annoyance evident. "Hey!" he calls brusquely. "Sir! You have to pay for those!"_

_The first man whirls around, not bothering to hide his face. His blue eyes are wild, bloodshot—they look almost inhuman in their frenzy. "Where is it?" he growls. "The other formula, the special one? WHERE IS IT?"_

_The older man presses his lips together. His eyes are all but narrowed behind his glinting oval spectacles. "This is all we have. I'm sorry if you didn't find what you're looking for but if you don't pay for this damage, I'm afraid I'm going to have to call the police."_

_The first man hisses in frustration. In one fluid motion, he rises and shoves the other man aside, sending him flying into the shelves. Merchandise explodes from the shelves and clatter across the floor narrowly missing the man. He barely notices this, nor does he notice the older man lying limply among his handiwork, blood trickling from the back of his head. Instead, he takes off, his movements still wild as the few people shopping there begin to realize something is amidst. _

Mick inhaled sharply. Until now, he hadn't been able to get a face—at Anna's, it had been shrouded in shadows and at the other scene, the memory of the crime had been overlapped with too many other memories to provide a clear image. _Now_ though, it would seem that the stakes had shifted considerably. He had a face—a face he had seen not too long ago. _Looks like Beth's wild speculations are right,_ he thought grimly. Shane Worrester was indeed the man they were looking for.


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks for the reviews thus far! I've got quite a few chapters left to post before I get you guys all caught up to where I actually am in the story. Forgive me if it takes a while for me to get it all up; I'm still trying to figure out the ropes.  
**  
Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

Beth stared in surprise at the store before her. Had it not been for the patrol cars and uniformed people swarmed outside, she would have thought she had gotten the wrong address. The store in front of her was a small, private business—nothing like the other targeted stores. Why the sudden shift in tactic?

"Crazy, huh?" Steve commented.

"Yeah…" Beth replied distractedly. "Listen, Steve, stay here and get some footage. I'm going to get a closer look." She drifted casually toward the store front but just as she was about to duck under the yellow tape, she heard a familiar voice.

"Beth!"

She straightened up and smiled. "Hey, Carl."

"Beth, you know you're not suppose to be here."

"So what happened here? Is there a body inside?"

"You can't be here," he said firmly. He placed a hand on her back and directed her gently but insistently away from the tape.

Beth didn't resist him but she was far from giving up. "Come on, Carl. I've been following this story for a while now and until now, I haven't seen you."

"There's no body inside," Carl relented with a sigh.

"So what _is_ inside? Vandalism? A rage-driven mess?"

"You want to know what's inside?" Carl asked exasperatedly. "An ongoing investigation!"

"You have the entire area roped off," Beth persisted. "No one's allowed within a hundred feet of the store!"

"That's right. This is a _crime_ scene, Beth. We can't have people trampling all over potential evidence and getting in the way."

Beth had a response formulated but as she was about to retort, her gaze fell on an ambulance a few dozen feet away. "There was an injury… is there blood?" She squinted, trying to see what was going on inside the ambulance. "There is, isn't there? That's why the police is suddenly all over this."

"Look Beth, I know you've been following this case but this isn't _just_ another story. We don't know who this guy is or what he wants; someone could get hurt if you start poking around and make this guy feel threatened."

"I don't think he wants to hurt anybody…"

"You don't know that, Beth. Just—"

"Carl!" A uniformed man waved him over. "I think you should take a look at this."

Carl shot Beth a final look. "Just let us do our job, okay?"

Beth smiled innocently at him. _Oh, but I can't._ "Steve!" she called, when she was sure Carl was out of earshot. She motioned him toward the ambulance, gesturing toward its open back.

"Gotcha," he mouthed, flashing her a thumb up.

Beth wandered along the perimeter of the police tape, eyes trained on Carl until she was sure his attention had been sufficiently diverted from her. When she was within a dozen feet of the ambulance, she stopped, knowing that continuing her approach would draw unwanted attention. The man seated on the back of the ambulance was only mildly injured, Beth noted. Other than the bandages on his head and right arm, he appeared to be fine. _Luck? Or was his injury unintentional like I insisted to Carl? _Beth pondered. But she would have to contemplate that later; now she concentrated on trying to make out the conversation the man was having with an officer.

"—very good Mr. Miller," the officer was saying. "Can you tell me about your attacker? Was he tall? Short? Heavyweight? Scrawny?"

"He wasn't scrawny…" Mr. Miller said slowly, almost to himself. "He was wearing a big coat but I could tell that he had a good build. He was probably tall, but like I said, he was crouched on the floor when I found him and when he _did_ stand, everything happened so fast, I couldn't tell…"

"That's okay, Mr. Miller. You're doing very well," the officer reassured. "Did you get a good look at his face? You said he turned around and talked briefly before he tossed you."

"Oh, I saw his face. He was an angry fellow," Mr. Miller said ruefully. "I saw it on his face—the anger that is—but I was so angry myself that I didn't care. He was damaging perfectly good merchandise! I've been doing this a long time officer and I can't afford to waste anything; I need the money to support my family."

"But what about his face? Can you describe it to me?" the officer prompted.

"His hair was blond—dark blond. It was long, curly. Messy too, like he hadn't combed it. And his eyes were blue I think. Very clear blue. He had a tall nose and his cheeks looked… gaunt—almost unhealthy."

"So he looked sickly? Or maybe he had a pallor?"

"No… he just looked a little… malnourished."

The officer nodded. "Was his face long? Round?"

"Long," Mr. Miller responded confidently. "But not sharp; it was almost sharp, but not quite sharp."

Beth's mind whirred furiously as she mentally pieced together an image. There were some discrepancies but her mind kept linking her mental image with the man she had seen in Anna's photos. Could it be? Things _could_ change in three months.

"Hey."

Beth almost jumped. "Mick! Don't do that!"

He chuckled. "I knew it was only a matter of time before I found you here."

Beth made a face. "Well, I have my sources. But how did _you_ know to be here?"

"What do you mean?" He looked at her in that focused way that Beth was sure would make any passerby think she had just asked him the most intriguing question.

"You said you didn't have any contacts in the department."

"No, I said it's hard to _make_ contacts when you never age."

Beth harrumphed. They could probably go on about this for awhile, she thought wistfully. Too bad the case on hand was more pressing. "Well I know what our 'attacker' looks like. What've you got?"

He smiled. "His name."

Beth stared at him. "Anybody we know?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level, unexcited.

"Shane," he replied teasingly, his tone implying that it should have been obvious.

Her smile was immediate. "I knew it!"

"Don't get too excited yet," Mick cautioned. "We still have to find him."

"Don't be a baby, Mick. If he's targeting stores _in_ LA, he can't be too far _from_ LA… Besides, being as old as you are, I'd think you'd relish the challenge."

Mick scoffed. "Immortality is not as boring as you think—especially when you're a vamp."

"I know." Beth smiled reminiscently as she recalled how alive she had felt under the influence of black crystal.

Mick raised his eyes. "You know, I didn't mean that in a good way."

Beth shrugged. Maybe she'd never understand, but right now, all her mind could focus on was Shane. "Maybe Shane didn't plan this alone… maybe someone he worked with helped him disappear."

"They've already been questioned."

"But what if we question them again? I mean, when did the police question them? Three months ago? That—"

"Actually, they were questioned again after Gilly was taken."

Beth fell silent. "Well, even so, I'd like to know where he worked."

"Where he worked…" Mick repeated thoughtfully, mulling over her question.

Beth watched him expectantly, but when he didn't continue, she waved a hand in front of his face. "Mick! You were saying…?"

"The Williamson bank!" Mick exclaimed wonderingly. "I don't know why I didn't think of it before!"

"Williamson bank? _What_ Williamson bank? Is that where Shane worked?"

"He didn't work there Beth; that's where he _is_."

Beth was startled. How had they suddenly jumped from tentative guesses to knowing Shane's exact whereabouts? "What is this, some vampire ability? I ask you one question and you suddenly know the answer to another?"

"No, Beth. The smell of it was inside." He waved his hand in the general vicinity of the store. "It was faint, so I almost didn't catch it but since I did, I've been trying to place it."

"You know what a bank smells like?" _And I told him humans were full of surprises…_

"It burned down in a fire in '87," Mick explained. "Josef owned some of the estates that had burned down along with the bank, so he asked me to investigate."

"So the rich _do_ notice when their playthings are damaged," Beth remarked.

Mick smirked. "Oh believe me—Josef wasn't concerned about the damage; it was a small loss for him. He was actually _convinced_ that someone was out to get him and he couldn't rest until he 'found the rascal and taught him a lesson,' I believe were his exact words."

"But… he didn't own the bank?"

"No; but it turned out the fire hadn't been an accident. Someone—I can't remember who—had a grudge on Daniel Williamson and set the bank on fire, but the flames went out of control and burned most of the buildings on the street before they were finally put out."

"Talk about vengeance…" Beth murmured.

Mick shook his head. "Josef had me on that case for weeks; we had a good laugh about it later but for weeks after, I smelled the reek of the wreckage wherever I went."

Beth patted his arm sympathetically. "I can't believe the smell is still here, after twenty years."

Mick's eyes fluttered close fleetingly. "The smell of the past never disappears."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

Shane glanced darkly at the late afternoon sky through the half-collapsed, half-burnt window. Why couldn't night just _fall_ already? He prowled the small, shadowy room restlessly, acutely aware of Gilly's wails. Why wouldn't she _stop_? He remembered a time when his presence had soothed her and on occasion, even made her laugh. Now he could barely get her to eat; what did Anna _feed_ her?

_This wasn't how it was supposed to be… it wasn't supposed to happen this way! _Shane thought angrily. He breathed deeply, through clenched teeth, trying to control his rage. But as he continued his restless pace, Gilly's wails seemed to intensify until his mind rang with the sound of it.

"_BE QUIET!_" he roared, whirling to face her suddenly. He strode toward the thick pile of pastel-colored blankets in the corner of the room, his attempt at a makeshift bed. He bent down and scooped her roughly into his arms. "Do you _hear_ me?! _STOP_ crying!"

Almost immediately, Gilly quieted. She stared up at Shane with large, innocent eyes, her small body quivering.

Shane felt the anger and tension drain out of him even as his shoulders slumped. He hung his head, ashamed that he had lost his temper. He regarded Gilly's face, trying to gauge how badly he had scared her but he was taken aback by her serene expression. He gazed into her eyes, envying the clarity in them, the uncomplicated, unconditional trust so freely given. A trust that he desired and did not deserve. A trust that made him wonder if he would ever trust in that way again.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, rocking her gently. "Daddy's sorry…"

Time seemed to slow as he stood there, cradling Gilly, enjoying the rare moment of silence, of feeling as if he had done the right thing and that he was needed, that he belonged. He would have been content to remain where he was for the rest of the accursed afternoon but suddenly, his senses came alive and went into hyper-alert mode. Shane stiffened—that could only mean one thing. Someone was coming.

Gilly shifted in his arms and Shane could sense her preparing to cry again; her eyes began to squeeze shut and her lips puckered. Shane hissed. _Damn it!_

A low growl rose in his throat as he snatched a blanket off the pile on the floor and secured it around Gilly in one quick motion. "Time to go, love," he breathed dolefully. He hoped she was ready for the impending night.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

"Dead bodies and gruesome M.O.'s you can deal with, but rats you're afraid of?" Mick queried, not bothering to suppress his laughter.

"_Dead_ rats," Beth corrected indignantly. "And you have to admit, they are a bit unsettling."

"Now what kind of vamp would I be if I admitted that?"

"An honest one," she replied with a sidelong glance.

Mick resisted the urge to snort. _My very existence is a lie,_ he thought. But instead of telling her that, he smiled and said, "There's no such thing as an honest vampire."

Knowing she would want to argue, he deliberately walked a few steps ahead of her and vaulted over a pile of protruding wooden ceiling beams. "Come on." He held out his hand to her.

Beth eyed the haphazard pile warily but she slipped her hand into Mick's and let him guide her as she stepped onto the beams gingerly. It was more stable than it had looked and though the heap shifted slightly beneath her, she had little trouble making her way through. In fact, feeling a little daring—perhaps because she was with Mick—Beth tightened her grip on Mick's hand and jumped off, causing dust to swirl into the air where she landed.

"Whoa! Careful!" Mick exclaimed, mistaking her jump for a stumble. He had instinctively slid his free hand around her upper arm, thumb pressed against her shoulder, fingers splayed below, to steady her.

"I'm fine," Beth assured, squeezing his hand. But she lingered momentarily in the half-circle of his arm before stepping away and striding briskly ahead.

Mick pivoted and scanned the semidarkness before him. "Beth," he called, amused.

She turned. "What?"

He began to walk and gestured to her right. "This way."

She looked at him questioningly.

"Dead end," he explained.

"Oh." She blushed. She crossed the room and fell into step with Mick. "Did you know that from memory? Or is it some vampire thing?"

"A little bit of both," he confessed. "Besides, there's more scent of a… _disturbance_ here."

"Why do you think Shane picked this place? Do you think he remembered it from childhood?"

Mick shrugged. "It opened in 1950," he offered. "By the time Shane was born in '74, the Williamsons were a respected family and business was good."

"So…" Beth calculated the years mentally in her mind. "He would've been thirteen when the bank burned."

"Certainly old enough to remember it." Mick ducked under the hanging framework of what used to be a doorway. "Careful. I don't know if this thing can hold up under impact."

Beth dodged underneath the precariously hanging framework easily. "There are so many rooms," she murmured.

"This is the back; if he didn't set up here, I don't know where he could be…"

They drifted apart, each exploring their side of the hall, peering through charred, half-collapsed doorways. Mick knew instantly, without a doubt, that they had been here. Rather than smelling stale and lifeless, the rooms gave off a sense of being lived in. One sniff and Mick saw blurred images unfolding in his mind. But there was something else, something that troubled him. There was an unmistakable scent that didn't belong—Mick had noticed it almost immediately but he didn't mention it to Beth, in case he was wrong. He continued his search uneasily, hoping to find a logical explanation but the deeper in he wandered, the more convinced he was that he had been right, that there was no mistake. He decided he had to warn Beth, but she cut him off before he could begin.

"Mick, take a look at this!" Her voice was low and urgent. "This is where he must have kept her." She stepped into the small room, eyes fixed on the caved-in but open window. Goosebumps ran up her arms and whether it was from coldness or apprehension, she couldn't say.

Reluctantly, Mick followed her into the room, unsure if he wanted to see more. He gazed around the room and had to repress the urge to shudder. There were toys and stuffed animals strewn all over, some damaged, as if they had been hurled or stepped upon. Empty cans littered one corner while baby blankets of various colors were heaped in another. He was surprised that Beth wasn't more disconcerted; perhaps she would be after she heard what he had to tell her.

Beth had been absorbed in trying to decide if the window had been a route of escape but despite her concentration, she noticed Mick's discomfort. She turned to face him more directly. "What's wrong?"

He looked her straight in the eye. "Beth, Shane is a vamp."


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

They had been driving for ten minutes now and Beth still hadn't said a word; not since she had unsuccessfully tried to argue that Mick might have been mistaken about Shane. He knew she knew the truth, but he understood her reluctance to accept it so he had let her rant. Still, her argument had collapsed fairly quickly—after Mick reminded her that vampires had a distinct "smell," she had nodded mutely and withdrawn into silence. He told her he would take her home and when that didn't draw a verbal response from her, he made no further attempt to draw her into conversation. He understood how she must have felt but he didn't know what to say to make her feel better. So he drove. Drove and kept glancing at her, concerned and wishing he could protect her from feeling this way.

"Beth," he said finally, breaking the tension that had been building up with the increasing silence. "You don't have to do this. This is _my_ case—I dragged you into this. You're not obligated to stay."

She didn't hesitate to respond. "That's very gallant of you Mick, but I can do this. I _want_ to do this—it's my job."

"But you don't have to," Mick insisted. "I could find Shane's trail, have Gilly safely returned. Wrap up this case. I can do this on my own… and you can still have your story."

"This isn't _just_ about the story, Mick," she sighed, rubbing her temples. "Gilly's young; she won't remember any of this as she's growing up. She'll have a chance at a normal childhood. This is about making sure she has that chance and I couldn't live with myself if I just stood by and waited for the outcome. I know she's in good hands with you Mick, but I still need to do this."

"Okay," Mick agreed quietly. He understood her need—he had felt that same need 22 years ago when Coraline had kidnapped Beth. He had known he wasn't responsible for Coraline's actions but even after he had seen Beth safely home, he still felt as if he was to blame. After all, hadn't Coraline taken Beth because in her deranged mind she believed that the three of them could be one big, happy family? He could make all the excuses he wanted for her but he couldn't deny that they all led back to him. Ultimately, what Coraline had done, she had done for Mick.

He stole a glance at Beth, still surprised that she didn't hate him for what his ex-wife had put her through, especially considering how she had reacted to Shane being a vamp. She was intelligent, quick to make connections—she must have guessed _why_ Coraline had taken her.

"What are you thinking?" Beth asked suddenly, head cocked, eyes locked with his.

Mick looked away and kept his eyes focused on the road, realizing that she must have caught him looking at her. He debated over how to answer her; he was tired of always keeping her an arm's length away, of never giving her the whole truth. Tonight, he could feel his ability to craft responses that held only bits of truth ebbing.

"Mick?"

"I was thinking…" Mick trailed off. _Just this once,_ he told himself. "The way you're feeling now, that need you feel to help find Gilly… that was the way I felt after I saved you from Coraline… that's why I stayed close all these years."

Beth managed not to gasp but her eyes rounded in shock. She had expected a response that danced around the truth without quite touching it but he had surprised her again by giving her the truth when she least expected it. She thought about her dream and all the questions she wanted to ask him but before she could voice them, they died out on her tongue. They all seemed so insignificant compared to what he had just confessed to her. His confession proved to her what she had already known: vampire or not, Mick St. John was _good_. He wasn't a monster as he liked to believe but someone who cared and for now, that was enough for Beth.

All too soon, Mick pulled up in front of Beth's building. They sat there, in silence, for a moment, Mick because he didn't know what to say, didn't know how Beth felt about his admission and Beth because though she was tired, she suddenly didn't want to go home.

"So…" Mick began. He looked at her expectantly.

"I should go…"

"It's been a long day; you could use the rest."

"Yeah…" Beth opened the door and climbed out. She held the door without closing it. "You'll let me know if you get a lead?"

"I'll call. Or stop by. Wouldn't dream of going on the chase without you."

"Good." She pushed the door closed firmly and walked around the front of the car but instead of going to her building, she stopped at Mick's door. "Thank you, Mick."

"For what?"

"For the truth… for being there… just… thank you." She pressed a light kiss on his cheek, then turned and left.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

The first thing Beth noticed when she stepped into her apartment was that the lights were on. _Strange_. She was sure she had had turned them off this morning… Then she saw Josh.

"Oh my god…" Her hands flew to her mouth. "Josh. I am so sorry."

"What happened, Beth?" He was standing at the sink, arms crossed. "I thought we were going to talk."

Beth cringed at his tone. "I was at work…"

"At the office? Because I came by to surprise you and you weren't there. They told me you had left hours ago. So I came here, thought I'd surprise you with dinner… but you didn't show."

"I was following a story!" Beth couldn't believe that of all things, he had chosen to zero in on _this_. "You should understand; weren't you the one who stood me up for work just yesterday?"

"But I called," he countered. "I didn't leave you hanging."

"Right." Beth sighed. "Look Josh, I'm sorry. About dinner and everything else. I don't know how many times I can say it, but I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize for caring about your work Beth. I _know_ you're sorry. It's just…"

And here they went again. Beth could almost hear what he wanted to say. "Just what, Josh?"

"It just feels like these days, you're spending more time working on cases with Mick than working on _us_."

Beth regarded him silently. She made her way to the sofa and sat down before finally answering. "I don't know what to say, Josh. I care about this relationship; you know I do."

"Beth," he said pleadingly. "All I'm saying is, every time I see you, either he's just dropped you off, or you're running off to meet him."

Beth frowned. "That's not true." She didn't spend _that _much time with Mick… did she?

"Well it feels true."

"Okay… so say it _is_ true. So what? You have nothing to worry about."

"Right." Josh laughed hollowly. "Our relationship is on the rocks and I shouldn't be concerned when my girlfriend is spending time with another man whom she gets along _flawlessly_ with."

"Mick and I fight…"

"About what?" Josh asked bitterly. "Little things that you end up laughing about five minutes later?"

"Not that it's any of your business but we've fought about his obstinacy and about my coming along on his investigations."

Josh narrowed his eyes. "And you're telling me you don't find his concern the least bit charming?"

"I never said he wasn't a gentleman, Josh. But I'm not saying he's perfect either because he isn't… and I don't expect him to be."

"But you expect me to be perfect, right? To _understand_ when you space out and forget about us. To not be jealous when you spend time with Mick St. John."

Beth shifted uncomfortably. It was true—she did expect those things of him. But was it so unreasonable? Wouldn't any woman expect that of her boyfriend? "You're jealous when you have no reason to be… you don't even want me working with him for goodness sakes! He's a valuable source of information!"

"Is that all he is to you, Beth? A source of information?"

"What do you _want_ me to admit, Josh?" she almost shouted, exasperation clear in her voice.

Josh quieted. "Look, maybe I should just leave…"

Beth didn't answer; she just sat there and twisted a strand of hair around her left index finger.

"Beth?"

Beth let go of her hair. "Maybe you should." She stood and swept into her bedroom without a single glance back.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

"Mick, Mick, Mick." Josef raised a frosted, half-filled glass in greeting. "You're home. I was starting to worry."

Mick rolled his eyes as he shrugged out of his coat. "You know, you're always saying that; maybe you should try _calling_ one of these days. I hear it's what all parents are doing," Mick suggested with raised eyes.

Josef smirked. "You're a big boy, Mick. I know my worries are unfounded."

Mick dropped into a seat across from Josef. "So to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit tonight?"

"What? A vampire can't get a little lonely and drop in to visit a friend?"

"Not usually, no."

"You know, in the _old_ days, hosts fed and entertained their guests before interrogating them."

Mick eyed the glass in Josef's hand pointedly. "You're fed."

"Hmm. Sad but true," Josef grunted, giving his glass a little waggle. "Seriously, man. I don't know how you live on this retail stuff!"

"I manage somehow," Mick replied good-naturedly, used to Josef's snide comments regarding his feeding habits. "So out with it; what's up?"

"Young ones these days… not an ounce of patience!" Josef muttered in mock disgust. "Alright, alright. I came by to warn you—we have a bit of a situation."

"Ah. My favorite words."

"There's been an increase in vamp carelessness," Josef explained disdainfully. "Now so far, the cops don't suspect a thing—we've been able to get the messes cleaned up, keep them quiet. But if you see any of these punks, be sure to murder them for me."

"Are we talking feral vamps?"

"Some are, some aren't. If you ask me, it looks like a bunch of first feedings."

Mick thought about Shane, remembering the wild look in his eyes, the desperation in his movements. Mick didn't think he was feral—Gilly, and no doubt, countless store owners, would be dead if he was. And he wasn't newly turned either—he hadn't reacted to the smell of fresh blood shed when he had thrown a man into a shelf; he had kept his control, control that could only be acquired through experience and practice. Was he trying to _sire_?

"How long has this been going on?" Mick asked, with some trepidation.

"Few weeks actually. Two, bordering on three."

Mick stared at him incredulously. "And you wait until _now_ to tell me?"

"I thought we had it under control."

"Josef, you're a terrible informant! Beth has made herself more useful and she's a mortal!"

"Keep the insults coming why don't you? It sure makes a vampire feel warm all over," Josef responded lazily. "But hey, if I had known you and your girlfriend were so interested, I would've let you know sooner."

"Josef…" Mick warned exasperatedly.

"What?"

"Beth and I are just friends. She's not my girlfriend, okay?"

"Whatever you say. But remember, she did shoot a man for you, fed you when you were near death, came to you when she was high on black crystal…"

Mick groaned inwardly. He rose to get himself a glass of blood; it was going to be a _long_ night.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

"Thank you," Beth said gratefully, reaching up to accept the steaming mug of tea.

Anna seated herself on an adjacent loveseat, body angled so that she was facing Beth. "You said you wanted to talk about the case?"

Beth lowered the mug from her lips and held it in both hands. "I don't know what Mick has told you but you may have heard that there was another theft yesterday."

Anna nodded. "I started watching your reports after Mick told me there might be a connection and that he would be working with you."

"We did some investigating, followed any trail we could find… we think we know who took Gilly."

"A suspicion? Or do you know for sure?" She looked at Beth with wide eyes, hands folded together lightly, body leaned forward.

"We don't have any real proof… but based on everything that's happened, we're certain."

"Who?" Anna asked without hesitation, her voice almost a whisper.

Beth held the mug tighter. "Shane."

"Shane?" Anna sat back slowly, eyes furrowed. "No… it can't be. Shane loved Gilly; he wouldn't do this to her. And the police… they told me he was dead…"

"But they never found a body," Beth reminded her quietly. "All they knew was that there was no trace of him anywhere so they could only_ assume_ he was dead. There was no body, no official cause of death to back them up."

Anna pressed her folded hands together, knuckles whitening. "But you have to understand… Shane, he's not that kind of guy. He wouldn't walk out like that… not without a good reason."

"Are you sure?" Beth asked cautiously. "Aside from what you and Mick have told me, I don't know anything about Shane and I won't pretend that I do but… people can hide who they are… even from those they care about." _Take Mick, for instance…_

"I know, I know," Anna sighed. "But not Shane. I know how that must sound but we've been married _six_ years, Beth. It doesn't sound that long, I know, but I've seen him at his best and his worst and he's not that kind of guy."

"So you didn't notice anything strange about Shane before he disappeared?"

"Well…" Anna twisted her hands nervously. "To be honest, we were having trouble right up to when he disappeared."

"What kind of trouble?"

"It was about three months after we found out that I was pregnant… everything just exploded. We had been talking about the baby thing for months, discussing the things that would change, if we were ready but that didn't prepare us for the real thing. We began to fight about the things we discussed and things that we hadn't discussed. Then on top of that, we got the call that his parents had had an accident—his father bled out and died on the scene and his mother was in intensive care. We caught the next flight out but in those few hours, her condition had worsened considerably; when we arrived, we could see that her chances of making it were slim… she died two days later."

"I'm sorry," Beth said softly. "I know this is hard but I really think this could help us find Gilly. But if you'd rather finish another time…"

"No, no," Anna protested with a weak smile. She inhaled deeply. "I'm fine; this is fine. It's good that I'm finally talking about it."

Beth took another sip of the now warm tea and smiled encouragingly. "Okay, then. If you're sure."

"I knew how close he had been to his parents—his father especially—so I tried to be there for him without suffocating him. Gave him some space, stopped talking about the baby. It worked for awhile. Things calmed down, neighbors stopped complaining about our screams. But I couldn't stop him from turning to alcohol… he had had problems with drinking before so I was worried for him. Then, one night, he didn't come home."

Anna paused, eyes darkening at the memory. "I was frantic; I called, left messages, but nothing… I don't know how I fell asleep that night but I did and the next morning, I woke up to the sound of glass breaking. It was Shane stumbling through the front door, so drunk he somehow knocked one of the heavy porcelain vases in the foyer off its table."

"I let him sleep it off, didn't question him. When he was sober again, I confronted him. He didn't even _try_ to lie about where he had been, what he had been doing…" Her eyes glistened with tears, but they quivered on her eyelids without falling. "He had run into an old girlfriend, someone he had dated on and off through high school and college. They spent the night talking and doing god knows what. He didn't give me the details and I didn't ask. We never talked about it, nor did he try to bring it up, but afterwards, he continued to meet with her. The drinking got better but he continued his relationship with _her_."

"What was her name?"

"Her name? God, I don't know…" Anna closed her eyes. "It was… it was… Charlotte. Charlotte Thompson."

Beth nodded. "Thank you." She would have to search up the name later, see if this Charlotte Thompson had "disappeared" as well. "So they were still seeing each other when he disappeared?"

"No, actually. About a month before Gilly was born, he told me he was sorry, that he would break things off with Charlotte." Anna shook her head. "I don't know what happened or what he was thinking… everything just went back to the way it was. I know that sounds odd but that's what happened. It was as if the last five months hadn't happened… When Gilly was born, he was… perfect. Didn't complain about changing her, feeding her, or even about waking up in the middle of the night. I couldn't believe it."

"And then he disappeared?"

"And then he disappeared," Anna agreed.

"He didn't say or do _anything_ to indicate that he knew he was going and never returning?"

"No, nothing. He just went out to the store and never came back."

Beth set the mug on the oblong polished wood table beside her and wrapped her hand around Anna's folded ones. "Thank you, Anna. I don't know how yet, but what you've told me will help. Mick is the best; he'll make sure Gilly comes back to you, unharmed."

"Thank _you_, Beth. I know competition out there is fierce and you could easily be in this just for the story… I thought you were when Mick told me about you, but I can see you care."

Beth smiled sadly. "Let's just say I know how Gilly must feel…"


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

Beth had her chin propped in the palm of her hand with her elbow leaning against her desk as she played through the footage on her computer. "Steve, this is impressive!" she exclaimed, eyes wide. "You're like my second pair of eyes!"

Steve smiled smugly. "So you _did_ miss me."

"Much as I would love to boost your already over-inflated ego, Steve, I can't say that I have."

"Man, if I knew you were going to shoot me down like that, I would've asked Maureen for a different assignment."

Beth laughed. "What I _meant_ was, it's been such a slow week that your '_superior_' camerawork would've just gone to waste."

"You mean you spent the week covering 'fluff'?" Steve grinned. "Now I _wish_ I hadn't taken last week off!"

Beth's phone trilled. "And now I'm glad you _did_," she shot back as she scooped up her phone. She smiled when she saw the caller ID: _Mick St. John._ "Hold on; I've got to take this." She moved her chair back slightly. "Hey."

"Are you busy?"

"No. Just checking out some leads."

"I can imagine," he replied dryly. "I heard you stopped by Anna's this morning. She told me you were _very_ curious about Shane."

"Was she upset?"

"Actually, she said it was a very refreshing conversation. Asked me to thank you again for your help on the case." His tone was bemused. "I don't know what you two talked about, but there was nothing left for me to ask!"

Beth had to laugh. "Feeling a little territorial?" she teased.

There was a pause and Beth suddenly imagined him with the crooked half-smile he wore when he was amused. "Not at all," came the reply. "It's probably for the best."

"You want me to stop by your office?"

"No, I'll stop by. I'm already out. You at Buzzwire?"

"Yeah."

"See you soon, then."

"See you soon," she echoed, lips curving upwards slightly.

As soon as she hung up, Steve pounced. "So who was that? I heard a lot of giggling…" He smiled slyly. "That boyfriend of yours perhaps? The DA?"

"Shut up," Beth laughed. "You _know_ it wasn't."

"I don't know much about women, but I know that's how a woman laughs when she's in _love_," Steve continued, relentless, his voice almost singsong.

"Don't be ridiculous." But she was blushing furiously.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

Mick hurried towards Beth's cubicle, hoping she hadn't gone out to cover a story. He smiled as he recalled their last phone conversation.

"_Mick! Got lost trying to find Buzzwire? Or do you miss me already?"_

_He laughed. "And hello to you too. Actually, I'm calling to let you know that I can't stop by after all."_

"_And why's that?"_

_The disappointment in her voice, though slight, thrilled Mick. _Stop it_, he told himself. Things between them were already complicated enough as it was. Feelings like this wouldn't help matters; it would only make him want her more, something he couldn't afford to have happen. Besides, she had Josh, her very human, very real boyfriend._

"_I just got a tip from Josef that I need to follow," he explained. "But I'll come by this afternoon… if it's okay with you."_

"_I'll hold you to it," she replied, the smile back in her voice._

"_I don't know how long this will take though," he warned._

"_I can wait. But don't keep me waiting _too_ long or I just might answer the call of all the crimes out there begging to be covered."_

"_Your wish is my command," he teased._

_As he had hoped, he was rewarded with her laughter. "If only…"_

He was still smiling when he reached Beth's desk, but to his surprise, it was occupied by her scruffy-haired cameraman who, upon seeing Mick, sat up straighter.

Mick nodded to him in acknowledgement. "Beth around?"

"Actually… no. That's why I'm here. She wanted me to give you this." He handed Mick a clear, CD jewel case. "Copy of the footage from yesterday's theft."

Mick took the case and slid it into his coat. "Thank you…"

"Steve."

"Steve. Where _is_ Beth? Is she okay?"

"Oh, yeah! She's fine. Left with Josh about half an hour ago."

"Josh?" Mick repeated hollowly. He felt a pang of jealousy. Even though Josh was a good man. Even though Josh would never endanger Beth the way he did.

"They had a fight yesterday apparently. He came by and asked her to take the rest of the day off. He wanted to take her to dinner, make it up to her."

"I see." The phone conversation flashed through his mind again. _"I'll hold you to it." … "I can wait…"_

Steve rose. "Sorry man." He patted Mick's arm as he brushed past him.

_This is good_, Mick reminded himself. He knew that she and Josh had been having trouble for awhile now… of course she would want to patch things up with him. _Good for her_. But he couldn't stop his mind from conjuring images of what Josh and Beth might be doing for half an afternoon and an entire evening. And he certainly couldn't quell the voice in his head that whispered that she had chosen Josh over him.


	17. Chapter 17

Okay, this is the last of the preliminary updates. The rest of the story will be updated as I write. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy where this story is going! Please don't hesitate to review; I would love feedback.

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

Beth pushed her food around the plate listlessly. She should have told Josh to give her a few more hours. She had wanted to. But then she had realized how it would sound when he asked her why. _Because I promised Mick I'd wait for him._ Definitely a bad way to start the evening; it would only delay their much needed talk… again. She felt queasy thinking about Mick arriving at Buzzwire to find Steve, instead of her, waiting for him. What would he think? That her leaving with Josh rather than waiting for him just proved his point that things would never work between them? That this was exactly why he never let her get close? She tried to tell herself that it was no big deal, that Mick would understand. But the matter kept gnawing at her, making it hard for her to work up an appetite. She hoped Steve was gentle. Finally, Beth put her fork down and pushed her plate away. 

Across the table, Josh looked at her, eyes raised. "Something wrong?"

"I'm just… not hungry."

Josh frowned. "You haven't said anything since we got here."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just… I just…" Beth sighed. "Look, Josh. This is sweet, you taking me to dinner and all but… I just… I think… I don't think this is what we need; I don't think this will help fix things between us. I think we what we really need to do is just talk."

Josh stared at her for a moment. Then slowly, he set his knife and fork down and nodded. "Okay," he said. "Okay. I'll take you back to your place and we'll talk."

Beth blew out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

* * *

Beth slipped out of her coat and let Josh take it from her. She made her way to the loveseat and sat, body angled, back straight, waiting for Josh to join her. When he did, she wasted no time. "We need to talk about Mick," she told him firmly. 

Josh looked surprised that she had brought Mick up but he didn't protest. "You're right," he agreed quietly. "Ever since you met him… we've drifted apart."

"You don't like him, I get that. But—"

"It's not that I _want_ to, Beth," Josh interrupted. "He's a good P.I. and I won't deny that I respect that… but beyond that, he's… he's—"

"Josh, I don't care what you think of him. What matters is, I want _us_ to work. But for that to happen, you have to accept that Mick is part of my life. I know you can't make your feelings towards him disappear but can't you _try_ not to hold it against him when we work on cases together, or spend time together?"

"So you're saying…?"

"I'm saying that I won't give Mick up."

"Even at the price of us?"

"He needs me, Josh. He doesn't have anyone else."

"That's ridiculous. What about friends? Family? Colleagues?"

"It's hard for him to get close to people," Beth replied guardedly. "He has… trust issues."

"Even his own family?" Josh argued, voice laced with disbelief.

Beth met his gaze without faltering. "He had to give them up a long time ago."

Josh was silent. "He has _no _one, Beth? _No_ one?"

"You don't have to believe me Josh… given the way things have been between us, I understand if you don't. And I don't mind… it hurts, but I don't mind. We can work on that. But I need to know that you'll try… with Mick, I mean. So will you try?"

"I'll try… but I have a condition too."

"Fair enough."

"We've been together for over a year now, Beth. So if I agree to… _accept_ Mick, I need to know that we're going somewhere. I need to know that we're not going to continue going in circles."

"You mean you want us to move in together?" Beth looked at him, hands suddenly cold.

"I want more than that, Beth. I want you to marry me."

"_What?!_"

"Marry me, Beth."

"Wh… bu… but… Don't you think this is kind of sudden?"

"Look me in the eye and tell me that this isn't where we were headed if St. John hadn't come into our lives and created all these problems between us. Look me in the eye and tell me that."

"Maybe we were. But the truth is, we _are_ having problems and we can't just ignore that."

"So we'll work through them. We've had problems before but here we are. We're good together."

"We _were_ good together," Beth corrected. "Now we're… a mess."

"I thought you wanted this to work…"

"I_ do_. It's just… if we're getting married, I want it to be because we're in love and happy. Not because you're feeling threatened by Mick or because we're having problems and this is your idea of a quick fix. I want us to _want_ to get married."

"So you're saying no?"

"I'm saying I need some time to think about it."

"I can wait."

"And I need some space…"

Josh sighed. "I understand…" Reluctantly, he rose and bent down to kiss the top of her head. "Good night, Beth."

"Good night, Josh." She forced a smile and watched him leave, feeling a little faint. She suddenly wished they _hadn't_ talked after all… their problems could have worked themselves out…


	18. Chapter 18

To those who favorited this/subscribed to this story, thank you! I really do appreciate the interest; it's nice to know that people are enjoying this! I hope you all enjoy this next chapter and if you feel so inclined, please leave feedback.**  
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**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

_Bum bum bum… Bum bum bum._

"Alright, alright," Mick called out crossly. "I'm coming!" He jogged down the stairs lightly, beeping the door open as he did. When he saw who it was that came in, however, he stopped mid-descent. "Beth! I thought… Steve told me you were spending the evening with Josh."

"I was but…" She stopped, an odd expression forming on her face. "Look, I don't want to talk about it."

Mick ran down the rest of the stairs and to her side. "Beth, are you okay?" He touched her arm, concerned. "What happened with you and Josh? Did he say something to upset you?"

"Mick, please…" she said tiredly. "I was hoping we could work on the case. That's why I came over."

Mick raised his eyes. _Beth doing the evading? This is new._ "Okay." He gestured for her to sit and strode into his kitchen area. "I'll make some coffee for you."

"Thanks. Coffee sounds great." She sank into one of his chairs and shed her coat, draping it on the arm of the chair.

"Long day?" he dared to ask.

She shot him a look. "Yeah. Something like that."

Mick decided to drop the matter. His questions only seemed to make her more tense, anyway. "So I looked at that footage you left. Anything in particular you wanted me to see?"

"I just wanted to get your opinion on it. Just in case we missed anything yesterday." She smiled at him, the gleam in her eyes returning. "I know enhanced vision is another vampire's curse."

"Along with perpetual coolness you mean."

She laughed and Mick felt her tension disperse like droplets of water. "So you didn't find anything?"

"No, but your cameraman certainly did an impressive job of weaseling himself into places where he wasn't wanted. Did he pick that up from working with you?"

Beth grinned. "Maybe." She leaned on the arm of the chair she was sitting on, facing Mick. "So tell me about the lead you were chasing this morning; the one that was so important that you stood me up."

Mick walked around the counter he had been standing at and handed her a clear mug of coffee. "Here. Careful though; it's a little hot."

Beth sat up to take the mug. "Thanks."

Mick ignored the urge the sit near Beth and instead, seated himself across from her, keeping a safe distance between them. "It was a body, drained and sloppily discarded in an alley. Josef was able to hold off the cleanup until I could get there and take a look for myself."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! When did bodies come into this?"

"I'd say about three weeks ago."

"Are you trying to be funny?"

"It's been efficiently covered up so you wouldn't have heard anything about it. But about three weeks ago, the body count suddenly rose."

"And by bodies, I assume you mean vampire… _meals_ that haven't been properly taken care of."

_Meals._ He smiled at the term. "Yes."

"You think Shane's responsible for this?"

"No. Being a vampire isn't new to Shane—he has control. These people were drained by newly turned vamps."

"How do you _know_?" Beth asked, eyes wide with fascination. "I mean, if they're not rogue, then it's not obvious, right?"

Mick grimaced. "Rogue or not, there's no hunger like that of a newly turned vamp. Once you figure out it's blood that you want, you drink without thought until either your hunger is satiated or someone stops you."

"Were you like that?" Beth asked softly.

"… Yes. I tried to fight it but in the end… this monster was who I really was, who I really am…" She should have been disgusted but there was more compassion in her eyes and voice than Mick had thought possible. _She really is full of surprises… if only…_ Mick immediately cut off that train of thought; no need to fantasize about something that would never be his.

"But you didn't _ask_ for this gift… and you certainly didn't embrace hurting others."

He laughed mirthlessly. "If only you knew, Beth… if only you knew."

"What does that mean, Mick?"

"It means, like everyone else, I was once young and stupid. I may have hated what I had become but that didn't mean I wasn't intoxicated by the power I had."

Beth opened her mouth to respond but Mick silenced her with a glance. "Enough," he said, his voice coming out harsher than he had meant for it to. He softened when he saw her startled—almost hurt—expression. "I'm sorry… but I'm not proud of who I used to be. I don't want you to know the Mick that I was…" _…because I'm afraid that if you do, you'll look at me the way I deserve to be looked at…_

Beth nodded mutely. For a second, it looked as if she was going to add something, but she seemed to change her mind about it and clamped her mouth shut. "So about the bodies… if not Shane, then _who_?"

"I think Shane may be trying to sire but I don't know enough to be sure. It would help if I knew _when_ he became a vampire."

"From what Anna told me, I think it was after he 'disappeared.' She didn't say anything about a sudden development of strange habits…"

Mick frowned. "He was turned before he kidnapped Gilly—I'm certain of _that_. That leaves about two months after he disappeared."

"Maybe he was turned right _after_ he disappeared," Beth said suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"Anna told me Shane had an affair and about a month before Gilly's birth, he broke it off. Or at least that's what he told Anna. But she had no way of knowing for sure… what if he disappeared because he had no choice, because he was turned?"

"Do you have her name?"

"Charlotte Thompson. But I looked her up," and here, she tsked disappointedly. "But I couldn't find anything out of the ordinary about her… She's normal down to the last _hair_."

"You researched her _that_ thoroughly?"

"Well…" Beth blushed. "I didn't have much else to focus on…"

He laughed. "Well, you'd be surprise how 'normal' a vampire's life can look."

She groaned. "I was afraid you'd say that… I should tell you everything I found, shouldn't I?"

"It's a good start," he agreed.

"Maybe I should just leave you to do the research on a complex matter like this next time…"

Mick settled into his chair more comfortably as Beth began. He hoped dawn was a _long_ way off.


	19. Chapter 19

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! It's hard to believe that in less than 2 hours, 2007 will be over but well, there you have it. Thank you to everyone who has commented with their encouragement; I appreciate it! This next chapter was one of my favorites to write so I hope you enjoy it! As always, feel free to review.  
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**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

Beth mumbled unintelligibly, shifting to avoid the thin slats of sunlight stirring her from her slumber. _Morning already? _her groggy mind protested. She struggled to open her eyes but being the traitors they were, they seemed determined to remain shut. She was so_ tired_. Finally, Beth managed to get her eyes open to a slit. At the same time, she suddenly realized she wasn't sleeping in her own bed nor was she anywhere _near_ home. Her eyes snapped open, all drowsiness and fatigue forgotten. She let go of the dark blue blanket that her hands had been curled around and pushed herself up. She was on Mick's couch! 

Slowly, she swept the blanket away and glanced down, glad to see she was still wearing yesterday's blouse and jeans. Warmth suffused her cheeks as she remembered the _first_ time she had awoken on Mick's couch. Surprisingly, the situation hadn't been as awkward as she might have expected. In fact, sitting on Mick's couch, in Mick's shirt had felt oddly comfortable. Perhaps it was because Mick had been such a gentleman the night before… She felt the warmth in her cheeks flame as she suddenly wondered what he had done with that shirt…

* * *

Mick smiled when he stepped into his apartment and saw that beside the dark blue blanket puddled on the couch, there were no signs of Beth. He should have expected as much; leave Beth alone anywhere and she was bound to let curiosity get the better of her. He wondered what she would discover _this_ time. Something else to confront him about, no doubt. 

He turned when he heard the soft patter of feet hurrying down the stairs. "Morning," he greeted Beth.

"Mick!" She seemed surprise to see him. "I was wondering where you were…"

"Find what you were looking for?" he asked, taking care to keep his tone controlled and casual.

Her cheeks pinked. "I was just washing up… I wasn't looking for anything incriminating."

He chuckled. "I doubt I could have stopped you if you were."

She smiled. "You went out?"

Mick held up a white paper bag. "Breakfast."

"Oh…" She seemed at a loss for words. "Thank you. You didn't have to… I saw how sunny it was outside…"

"It's no big deal. It was just a few minutes."

"Even so. Thank you." Her smile was warm as she came and took the bag from him. She walked to the counter and set the bag down without opening it. Mick followed her. "So what happened yesterday?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… did I… _ask_ to stay the night?" The question sat awkwardly between them.

"Oh." Mick dipped his head embarrassedly. "No. I went to answer a call and when I came back, you were asleep."

"I fell _asleep_?!" Beth wrinkled her forehead. "Well considering…" She suddenly fell quiet. "I guess I shouldn't be that surprised…"

Not for the first time Mick wondered what had happened between her and Josh. He thought idly that perhaps they had fought about Beth's relationship with him and that was why she was so reluctant to talk about it.

"I wanted to wake you," he said apologetically. "But you seemed… tired." _Liar,_ he thought. The excuse seemed flimsy, even to him. He had been secretly pleased that she had felt comfortable enough to let her guard down and let sleep claim her. He knew they could never be together but seeing her there, on his couch, sleeping peacefully was almost enough to make him believe that he was wrong. It was a rare moment and even after 55 years of being alone and coaching himself not to let the loneliness get to him, he hadn't been able to make himself wake her up and shatter the delicate balance his belief hung on.

"Don't be sorry." She reached over and placed her hand over his. "I slept well. Better than I have in days."

"You haven't been sleeping well?" He looked at her, startled. "No wonder you were so tired."

"Don't you want to know why I haven't been sleeping well?" Her voice was soft, almost tentative.

"Why?" he asked, voice equally soft.

"I keep dreaming of what happened when I was taken… the house where she kept me, the things she said to me, the fight…"

"Is that what wakes you?"

"No. Then I dream about you, about finding out vampires are real, about finding out your past… and then I remember her burning in the flames and I wake up, gasping for breath, feeling like I'm four years old again."

Mick stared at her, hating himself for giving her those nightmares. "This Beth, this is why it's not safe for you to be around me. You've already gotten hurt once because of me; do you think that because I saved you, it won't happen again? It will, Beth, and when it does…"

Beth shook her head, cutting him off. Her normally bright blue eyes were glassy with tears as she spoke. "Safe or not, you're still my guardian angel. You have to stop feeling responsible for me, Mick. I'm a big girl; I can make my own choices. And I'm _choosing_ to have you in my life, dangers and all."

Mick tore his gaze away and withdrew his hand, his emotions bubbling dangerously close to the surface. "I have some things to take care of," he said abruptly. "When you're ready, you know the way out. You don't have to bother with goodbyes." He turned and walked away, feeling her sadness and hurt wash over him. _I'm sorry,_ he told her silently. _But it's better this way; you'll see._

He had almost reached the stairs when he heard her call out. "Mick?"

He looked over his shoulder resignedly. "Yeah?"

"What did you do with that shirt?"

He didn't need to ask what she meant; the memory of what had happened when she was high on black crystal was seared in his memory, yet another reminder of what he would always deny himself. "It's hanging in my closet, with my other shirts."

"Oh." He sensed her disappointment and hurried away before it could get the best of him.

* * *

Mick was in his office when he felt Beth's presence leave the apartment. He let out a long sigh and felt a stab of disappointment that she had heeded his words and not come to say goodbye. He pushed the feeling away; perhaps he had finally succeeded in driving her away.

He rose walked out of his office, to the end of the hall, where the grey door he had warned Beth about loomed before him. He stepped inside and lifted something off the hook adjacent to the door. Mick held the black, white-striped shirt up to his face and inhaled deeply. Beth's scent filled his nostrils, so strong it was as if she had just worn the shirt yesterday and not many weeks ago. Mick smiled. Everything about Beth was full of life. Nothing about her—not even her scent—faded away easily. For a moment, he allowed himself to wonder what it would be like to bask in her love for eternity, to wake up every day and know she enjoyed his company as much as he enjoyed hers. Then he returned the shirt to the hook and stepped out into the hall, pushing the grey door firmly shut. He would never know and he didn't have time to dwell on the matter—he would instead, focus his energy on helping the people who needed his help. It was what he did best after all. 


	20. Chapter 20

Hey guys! I'm kinda in a rush but I wanted to get this chapter up to you before I called it a day. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! I really appreciate your comments and the fact that you're enjoying this story! So without further ado, the next chapter. As always, feel free to leave comments!**  
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**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

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Mick leaned back in his chair, ignoring the disgruntled looks the waiter kept shooting at him. Where was she? They had agreed to meet at the_ Ҫa Va _restaurant at half past noon and it was now ten to one; Mick was beginning to think he had been set up. At one o'clock, when she still hadn't showed up, Mick, who was becoming increasingly aware of the waiter's growing distress and annoyance, decided he would be better off finding her and staging a surprise confrontation. Besides, the warmth of the sun was beginning to get more than a little uncomfortable and despite his sunglasses, there was still the occasional glare of afternoon sunlight.

It was then that he finally saw her, standing at the gate, looking around. Mick's first thought was that she was one of those no-nonsense, career-driven women. She certainly had the look—she wore a navy blue pantsuit over a crisp white blouse complete with a leathery mahogany briefcase and her chocolate brown hair was twisted into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. When she saw Mick, she strode briskly toward him.

Mick rose to greet her. "Miss Thompson."

"Mr. St. John." She shook his hand. "Sorry to have kept you waiting. I was showing an estate and lost track of time. You know how it is."

"Of course," Mick replied, waiting for her to set her briefcase down and sit before he followed suit.

"You said you had some properties you wanted me to take a look at?" she asked without prelude.

"Yes." Mick crossed his arms and met her gaze. "I'm thinking of buying the old Williamson bank."

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm sorry to say that it was lost in a fire in '87. Surely a distinguished private investigator such as yourself would know that."

Ah. So she had checked up on him. Mick knew he hadn't told her he was a P.I.; he had deliberately left that out. "Actually, Miss Thompson, I'm looking into this property on behalf of a friend, Shane Worrester. Perhaps you know him?"

"And if I did?"

"Are you a sire?"

To Mick's surprise, she laughed. "Tell me, did you know I was a vampire before you conned me into meeting you?"

"I had my suspicions," Mick acknowledged. "Why did you do it?"

"Turn him, you mean."

"Yes."

The laughter disappeared from her face. "Have you ever been in love, Mr. St. John? Not as a mortal, but after you were turned." She laughed again when she saw his startled expression. "You have, I think. Maybe you are, even now. I can smell her all over you."

"I haven't touched a woman in over 50 years," he answered stiffly, mind immediately jumping to Beth. Much as he wanted to, much as he dreamt of it, he certainly hadn't touched Beth.

"Hurts though, doesn't it? Never being able to get close to her? Having to lie about what you are?"

"It's something you learn to live with," Mick replied tonelessly.

She scoffed. "By vampire standards, I'm young, a fledgling—I haven't even lived a human lifetime—but even I know that you're lying to yourself if you think your resolve will always be this strong. When you find her, the right her, you'll do _anything_ it takes to be with her. _Anything_."

_No!_ Unconsciously, Mick curled his fingers into tight fists. _Not Beth. _Never_ Beth!_

Charlotte's gaze flicked to his hands. When she spoke, her voice was soft, her words careful. "You know, I never thought I'd break up a couple; I always thought that if it came down to it, I'd be strong enough to walk away. That was before I walked into that bar and saw Shane again. He was drunk as hell but when I talked to him, I finally understood why we kept coming back to each other, why he was my first love. Since I was turned, I have _never _regretted what I had become but that night, for the first time, I wished to be mortal again. And I _knew_ I couldn't let him slip away; not this time."

Mick stared at her, horrified. Images of his wedding night tumbled through his mind, the betrayal still fresh enough to pain him. "So you _turned_ him?"

"When he broke things off with me, I thought it was because he could sense that I wasn't completely open with him, so a month later, I finally called him and demanded that we talk. I told him the truth…"

"And then you turned him!"

"He was scared—I sensed it—but he didn't run… I thought that meant he loved me! If he had run… if he had run, I would've let him go. But he didn't… he didn't and I thought that meant he was willing to try…"

"What about his wife? And his newborn? Because of what you turned him into, Shane kidnapped his own baby! Her mother is sick with worry!"

"You can think what you want of me, Mr. St. John, but I knew about his wife and his newborn and I did what I did anyway… and had I known that Shane would leave me and do all this… I still would've made the same choice." She rose abruptly. "I think we're done."

"Just one more thing. After Shane left you, did you try to sire others? To replace him?"

"If you're talking about the bodies, then you should know that I'm not the only one. There are others out there, like me, who've fallen for mortals and are willing to try… Shane for instance…"


	21. Chapter 21

Thank you for the reviews guys! I felt like the last chapter was a little off so that's been making the writing slow... but I think I'm pretty happy with the way this chapter came out.

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

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Beth glared at the sheets of paper in front of her; for lack of any better leads, she had compiled a list of missing persons spanning across a period of the last three weeks and after hours of searching up the names, she had, of course, found nothing of interest. Beth sighed. What _now_? She toyed with the idea of driving up to the Williamson bank to take another look around but desperate as she was for a distraction, she decided she wasn't _that_ foolhardy.

No sooner had she decided that she wouldn't drive up to the Williamson bank when her mind began to drift… again. Josh's proposal occupied her thoughts but no matter how many different ways she tried to look at it, she couldn't consider the matter without considering Mick—especially after what had happened this morning. The more Mick tried to pull away from her, the more Beth wanted to break his defenses and get close to him. But that didn't necessarily mean she was ready to throw away what she had with Josh, did it? She still loved Josh after all; she wouldn't have stayed with him for a year if she didn't. But at the same time… when she thought of Mick, she thought of gestures like insisting it was no big deal to brave the intense morning sun to buy breakfast for her and refusing her blood, freely offered, even when he was dying of heat and dehydration. They were little things but they showed that he cared, despite his efforts to keep her at an arm's length.

When she thought of Josh, she thought of jealousy and rainchecks for time together. She remembered times when things had been different between, times when she might have said "yes" right away had he proposed. Guiltily, Beth noted that they had all been times _before_she met Mick. They _had_ been good together… maybe Josh was right about being able to work through their problems. She knew better than to expect relationships to be easy; perhaps she had been unfair with Josh. Much as she tried to deny it, he did have reason to be jealous—a part of her _did _want more than friendship with Mick. But no matter how many openings she gave him, no matter how many hints she dropped, Beth knew Mick would never allow himself to let their relationship blossom beyond friendship. Wouldn't it be better to try and make things work with someone who wasn't afraid to reciprocate her feelings? Or was it worth risking everything she had built with Josh for a chance with Mick, even knowing that they might never be anything more than friends?

Beth drummed her fingers on her desk nervously, not sure if she was ready to find the answer to that question. No matter what she decided about how she felt, she knew her answer would change everything. If she decided the risk was worth it, she would lose Josh but if she decided to stay with Josh, she would lose Mick. Oh they would still talk and work on cases together; of that she was sure. But things would be different between them—they might continue to have rare moments of intimacy but there would always be a painful distance between them and their easy friendship would become awkward because of things unsaid and could-have-beens that were just that and nothing more. This was the kind of change that Beth had never liked—losing people was hard, even if you knew it was time.

Beth snapped herself out of her daze, deciding that she had had enough of this train of thought. She needed a distraction. Her eyes swept the papers in front of her looking for something, _anything_, that would give her something to do. Her gaze fell on an address. The address of Charlotte Thompson's real estate firm. Beth perked up immediately. She had heard Anna's side of the story considering Shane, but not Charlotte's. She was certain that Charlotte would know things that Anna didn't—the mistress always did.


	22. Chapter 22

As always, thank you for reviews and adds to story alerts! I'm glad you're all enjoying this fic! I'm currently trying to wrap things up and have the rest of the story planned out so I'll try not to take too long to get the next chapter up. Till then, enjoy!  
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Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

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"What do you _mean_ she's with a client?" Beth exclaimed. "I was told she was expecting me!" 

The petite, curly-haired brunette stared at Beth. "_Who_ did you say you were?"

"Beth Turner."

The girl trailed a finger down an open book in front of her. "I'm sorry, Miss Turner, but your name's not here. Are you sure you have the right date?"

"Try looking for Buzzwire," Beth suggested.

She shook her head. "No Buzzwire either."

"_What_?!" Beth feigned surprise, blue eyes innocently wide. "But… my editor… she told me that all the details were taken care of and all I had to do was come in and interview Miss Thompson."

"Miss Thompson specifically told me that she was wrapping up an important sale and I was not to disturb her," the girl stated firmly.

Beth paced the room distraughtly. "What am I going to do _now_? What am I going to do, what am I going to do? Mo will _kill_ me…" she muttered, making sure that at least some of what she said was audible. She whirled suddenly, to face the girl again. "Are you _sure_ Miss Thompson can't see me?"

The girl, who had been regarding Beth uneasily, coughed. "She specifically told me _not_ to disturb her," she repeated solemnly.

Beth walked up to the girl's desk and gripped the edge with both hands. "Can you _please_ check with Miss Thompson? My editor is _very_ serious about the stories she sends us out to cover… if I come back empty-handed, she'll have my head…"

The girl chewed her lips nervously, eyes flitting everywhere but to Beth's unwavering gaze. "I'll see what I can do," she mumbled finally, still not meeting Beth's gaze.

Beth straightened and let her hands fall from the desk's edge. "Thank _you_," she gushed, smiling sweetly. 

* * *

"Miss Turner." Charlotte nodded in acknowledgement to Beth when she entered the office. "My assistant tells me you were _quite_ eager to meet with me. May I ask what this interview is for?" 

Beth smiled ruefully. "A story profiling the rising businesswomen of LA; it's just something that my editor suddenly felt we _had_ to do. She said something about women empowerment…"

"Ah, I see. Please," she gestured to a chair, "Have a seat." She took a quick glance behind Beth. "No cameraman?"

"We're a few cameramen short this week… the ones that are available were assigned to other stories," Beth answered vaguely. "I was told to get the interview today and if necessary we would schedule another time to do some shooting."

"Hmm. You know, it's strange that no one has contacted me about this before."

"I'll take that up with my editor," Beth promised, flushing slightly. She shifted restlessly in her chair, feeling slightly disconcerted by the way Charlotte was looking at her.

She was further unnerved when Charlotte made no answer, but instead, continued to regard her for almost a full minute. When she _did_ speak, Beth was thrown by her words. "Why… you're _her_."

"Excuse me?" Beth was sure she had heard wrong.

Charlotte linked her fingers together and leaned on them, never taking her eyes off Beth. "Do you, by chance, know a private investigator by the name of Mick St. John?"

Beth felt her heart accelerate. Mick had talked to Charlotte? And if so, what had they talked about that Charlotte would ask if she knew him? Unable to shake the feeling that there was something important she was missing, Beth decided to tread cautiously. "I've certainly heard of him…"

Charlotte smiled indulgently. "Come now, don't lie. His scent clings to you and yours to his."

Beth's eyes widened as understanding flooded her. "You're a vampire!" The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could think them through.

Charlotte's surprised expression mirrored Beth's. Then she laughed delightedly. "You know about us! Oh this is good, this is good. This is better than I had hoped for."

Beth could only stare at Charlotte, unable to share her pleasure. With a growing sense of apprehension, she wondered what she had done. Her only consolation was that Charlotte hadn't spoken ill of Mick, which, hopefully, meant she held no evil intentions towards him.

When her laughter had subsided, Charlotte returned her attention to Beth. "Do you love him?"

Beth was taken aback. "Who? Mick?"

"Yes, of course," she replied impatiently.

"I… I-I don't see how that's important…" In truth, she didn't know _how_ to feel about Mick. She only knew that thinking of him sent her heart skittering out of control and her mind scattering into confusion. But whether or not that was love, she didn't know; it was something she had avoided thinking about too deeply because knowing the answer to whether she loved Mick or not meant knowing the answer to Josh's proposal.

"I like you," Charlotte said quietly, eyes filled with pity. "I have a gift for you. You can choose to take it or not; perhaps your choice will help you decide if what you feel toward him is indeed, love." But the look in her eyes told Beth that in her mind, she had already decided what Beth's feelings toward Mick were.

"Oh please, no," Beth protested weakly. "A gift is not necessary."

"Oh no, I _insist_." She leaned forward, eyes glinting. "Beth Turner, how would you like to live for eternity? To be immortal?"

Beth drew in a sharp breath and didn't breathe it back out. Her heart seemed to have stopped beating. "You mean…?"

Charlotte sat back, smiling in satisfaction. "I'm offering to turn you."


	23. Chapter 23

Hey guys! Sorry for leaving you hanging for so long; it's been one crazy week and things will only get crazier next week for me. Anyway, thank you all for reviews and alert adds! I'll try to update again sometime next week! Reviews are most definitely welcome.  
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**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

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The late afternoon sun hung low, streaking the LA sky with pale golden orange rays of fading sunlight. Most of the day's warmth had given way to a light breeze and in his car, parked across the street from Charlotte Thompson's office, Mick pulled off his shades, welcoming the change. He had been on the hunt all day, tracking down the fledgling vamps that Josef's team had identified and spared.

_Josef flashed Mick a fanged grin upon noticing his entrance into the office. "Refreshment?" he offered ingenuously._

"_No, thank you," Mick replied patiently, taking the liberty of seating himself as he waited for Josef to finish feeding._

_Josef sighed as he waved his blonde meal on her way. "Still living on those morals of yours, huh?" He retracted his fangs and allowed his eyes to darken to their normal hazel color. "What a shame…"_

"_I assume you didn't call me here just to scrutinize my feeding habits," Mick remarked dryly._

"_No, no, of course not! My team tracked down another pair of fledgling vamps. A couple actually. And of course, I immediately thought of you." When he saw Mick's stricken expression, he smirked. "Oh don't worry; their relationship is nothing like your messy relationship with Beth. They had a very human, very 'normal' relationship."_

_Mick scowled. "That wasn't funny, Josef."_

_Josef only laughed. "Whatever you say, Mick, whatever you say. But if you ask me, all this tight self-control you keep on yourself, some might find it noble, but I think it makes you one wimp of a vampire." His lips curved into a sly smile. "Beth is more than willing, I'm sure… falling for a mortal was already a stupid enough thing to do, Mick. But setting yourself up to grow close to her only to deny yourself any real pleasure? Even stupider."_

"_What did you mean by very human, very 'normal' relationship?" Mick asked, deliberately ignoring Josef's last comment. "Didn't you say they're fledgling vamps?"_

"_Ask them yourself," he responded airily. "That's why I called you here."_

Mick mulled over what Gabriel and Laura Collins had told him. It was extraordinary that their relationship had survived the transition from human to vampire considering how little guidance Charlotte had provided after turning them. He would have expected them to tear each other apart… but then again, with the way things had ended up between him and Coraline, he wasn't the best judge for what was or wasn't extraordinary in terms of love. To be honest, he had been_ jealous_ of what Gabriel and Laura had—talking with them, seeing firsthand, the depth of their feelings toward each other, had been refreshing. Even though he ached afterwards, it had even given him the tiniest spark of hope that maybe even _he_ could have what they had. It was a big maybe, but a maybe nonetheless.

Unfortunately, love was the least of his worries; at the moment, he was more concerned about how big a role Charlotte played in not only the sudden surge of fledgling vamps, but in influencing Shane. If what Gabriel and Laura had told him was accurate, then she had, at the very least, played some part in initiating the turnings.

"_Laura, Charlotte, and I, we were all childhood friends," Gabriel explained. "Through the years, we were able to remain close…"_

"_Or at least, we tried," Laura interjected. "But a few years ago—three, four, maybe?—Charlotte began to grow distant. She was paranoid and secretive and when we tried to coax her into opening up, she refused to talk to us. We didn't know what to do; she was one of our dearest friends and we couldn't just sit by and watch her fall…"_

_Gabriel wrapped his hand over Laura's and shook his head. "We know now that there was nothing we could have done to help her… that her downward spiral didn't continue because we didn't try hard enough but because of what she had become."_

_She smiled at him. "Yes, that is true. But about eight months ago, she miraculously cheered up. Said she had met a guy; of course she didn't tell us that it was Shane. We were happy for her but if we had known Shane was the source of her happiness, we might not have felt the same way. When they dated in college and high school, she was crazy about him and when they broke it off for the last time, she had a hard time letting go."_

"_Did she ever say anything about the plans she had, where her relationship with Shane was going?" Mick asked, trying to ignore the parallels between Shane and Charlotte's relationship and his and Coraline's._

_Laura wrinkled her forehead in thought. "I don't think so… she only ever raved about how great he was and how he was the perfect guy. Even when they were having troubles three months back, her belief in him didn't waver; she seemed confident that they would fix things."_

_Mick shook his head. "But they didn't; she turned him."_

_Gabriel and Laura stared at him in astonishment. "After she turned us, she told us about Shane but she never told us she turned him!" Gabriel exclaimed._

"_That's what worries me," Mick replied grimly. "The things that she _hasn't_ told anyone… I asked her outright, if she was responsible for the sudden rise of newly turned vamps and she wouldn't give me a straight answer… Tell me, are you newlyweds?"_

"_Oh no, no, no," Laura said with wide eyes. "Next month marks our two-year anniversary."_

"_In fact, when she came to us three weeks ago, she said she had an early anniversary gift for us," Gabriel recalled._

"_She was also very upset about something; she wouldn't say what," Laura put in. "We suspected it had to do with Shane—despite her confidence, we could tell that they hadn't worked things out—but when we tried to talk about it, she lashed out at us."_

"_Her gift was vampirism…" Mick said slowly._

"_It was," Gabriel confirmed. "She spent the evening talking about love and asking us about our relationship: how did we know we had found the one? Wasn't it a comfort to know we would always have each other? Did it really matter if we ever had kids or not as long as we were together? Wouldn't it be nice to be together forever? Stuff like that. And then she rambled on about how it _was_ possible and that vampires existed and being one wasn't so bad."_

"_We didn't believe her, at first," Laura confessed. "She was so upset… we thought maybe she had been drinking. But when she saw our skepticism, she lost it; we saw her sanity disappear when she vamped out on us. It all happened so fast, we didn't even realize_ what_ had happened until it was all over… she turned Gabriel first, while I watched, hysterical. Did she hear me? I don't know… but she certainly didn't forget me. After Gabriel had settled into a deathly stillness, she turned to me and struck…"_

Mick sighed. He had thought, at first, that it was Charlotte's sire who had instilled such twisted beliefs of love in her but now, it seemed more likely to assume that _she_ was the one who initiated those beliefs. The question that bothered him now was, was she alone in her beliefs? Or had she recruited others to help in her efforts to "immortalize" love? It was hard to tell; some of the vamps he had talked to earlier had mentioned Charlotte, but others had never heard of her.

Mick was deep in thought but when he saw a figure exiting Charlotte's office building, his attention snapped to the entrance. _Beth?!_ Panic clawed at him; what was she doing here? She was distressed, that much he could tell. Her steps were quick and she barely paid attention to her surroundings; she probably would have noticed him if she did. What had Charlotte _done_ to her? Oh, why hadn't he warned her that she was dangerous, a vamp? Mick berated himself. He watched as Beth climbed into her car and started the engine, without driving. She seemed fine but still… Mick was torn between the desire to run to her and the need to stay where he was so he could get the truth from Charlotte. He tuned his hearing to her heartbeat: it was racing! He would have gone to her right then and there had he not heard her take deep, shaky breaths that slowed her heartbeat considerably. Reluctantly, Mick remained where he was and as if to prevent him from changing his mind, Beth finally pulled her car out of its spot and drove away.

_She's fine,_ he told himself. _She's fine, she's fine… she would call if she wasn't… or at least say something or do something to indicate otherwise…_ But he wasn't so sure. It was Beth after all, and since when had Beth conformed to his expectations? _Never… she's always exceeded them._

* * *

Charlotte drummed her fingers on her desk after Beth had left. Interesting. Charlotte was certain she had seen what immortality could offer and yet, she had refused the offer to be turned. She had refused very adamantly in fact. Surely she didn't believe that the bad points of vampirism outweighed the good… Charlotte narrowed her eyes as she recalled the conversation. She had refused but not outright; she had actually taken the time to think about the offer, as if she was really considering it. Charlotte laughed gleefully. Perhaps a little persuasion would help push her in the right direction.

"Kathy!" she called sharply.

The girl rushed in, almost tripping over her own feet. "Yes, ma'am?"

"I want you to get me Beth Turner's address," Charlotte ordered.

"Of course."

"And be quick about it!"

"Yes ma'am." She scurried out of the office.

Charlotte sighed. Humans. She would never understand why some of them were so weak; Kathy had no clue what she really was and her heart still managed to race when she was summoned, Charlotte noted disgustedly. At one point, she had considered bringing Kathy into the fold but now, she was glad she had ultimately decided against it. But Beth… Beth was something different altogether. She was strong, resilient; what a shame it would be to watch that die over the years… Charlotte knew what she had to do; Beth and St. John would both thank her later.


	24. Chapter 24

Thank you all for your reviews! It's been one hectic week but things are calmer now so I've finally found the time to write. I hope you enjoy the next chapter and as always, comments are welcome!  
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**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

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"…think I'm coming down with something so I'm working from home for the rest of the afternoon… Mmhmm, yeah… Okay… Thanks, Mo… Okay, bye." Beth disconnected and shifted the phone into her other hand so she could dig her keys out of her bag. She tried to ignore the way her hand shook as she fumbled with trying to direct the key into the keyhole, but after ramming the key into the door a few times, she slammed the keys into the doorknob.

"Come on, Beth. Breathe, _breathe_," she muttered to herself. She stood there for a few minutes, inhaling deeply and blowing out and finally, she felt the trembling ease. She lifted the keys from the doorknob and this time, she slid the key in easily. Beth breathed a sigh of relief and once inside, she collapsed against the closed door.

Charlotte's offer replayed in her mind, eating away at her, taunting her. _"I'm offering to turn you."_ Beth closed her eyes, not sure if she felt disappointed or relieved. She had been so sure before, when she had declined! She thought she had dodged a bullet but now, the doubts and regrets were starting to set in. She had known they would but she hadn't expected it so soon.

"_I can make you immortal, invincible. You'll see things you could never see before, smell things you never thought you could smell—it's like nothing you've ever felt before…"_

Oh, but she had been wrong, _so_ wrong. Beth _had_ felt that way before—the night she had been high on Black Crystal, she had felt untouchable but at the same time, she had felt as if she was finally experiencing all the world had to offer. It was an incredible feeling and if that wasn't what Charlotte had been describing, then Beth couldn't imagine what was. She remembered the way the breeze had glided past her, whisper-soft, like a teasing caress that tickled and delighted her in equal measures. And the sounds! The city had never sounded so alive to her than that night… The hum of voices, of conversations, ebbed and flowed around her, like waves on a beach. Beth found that if she focused, she could tune everything out into a pleasant buzz and zero in on one conversation, feel the emotions of the speakers bleed into her consciousness. And if she really wanted to, she could feel the subtle vibration of music dancing on her skin, pulsating from various clubs; it had almost felt like an invitation to dance, twirl, leap.

But what Beth remembered most vividly of all was the certainty that Mick—calm, reserved Mick—desired her. She could see it in the way he looked at her, hear it in his voice, in the things he refused to say and most certainly she could feel it when he held her. He had held her as if she was delicate glass and he was afraid she would break if he held her too close. In reality, she had felt like putty in his arms, ready to be molded into any shape it took to stay in his arms. She had felt safe, secure; it was as if the rest of the world had fallen away and didn't matter. There were no rules, no boundaries… when Mick had held her that night, _anything_ felt possible.

Beth sighed, suddenly wishing she hadn't mentally relived the Black Crystal experience. She hadn't realized how much she had missed the feeling Black Crystal gave her. It wasn't the feel of the night toying with her senses that she missed but the confidence that she had known what she wanted and the fearlessness with which she had tried to attain it. It had felt so right when she had begged Mick to turn her that night, but when Charlotte had freely offered to turn her, the prospect of accepting had felt odd, wrong… like she was betraying Mick somehow. It had nothing to do with him but everything to do with him at the same time. It was _her _choice but really, would she have been given that choice had she never met Mick, never seeked out his company on cases? She had thought about how Mick completely hated what he was and how he was always so lonely and she knew that wasn't what she wanted. Besides, a part of her didn't feel completely comfortable with Charlotte. She had felt manipulated, alone, in Charlotte's company. And once she realized that, Beth had known without a doubt that if she did want to be turned one day, she wanted her sire to be someone she trusted completely, someone she felt safe and comfortable around. If she chose immortality, she wanted Mick to be the one to give it to her. Mick and no one else; it wouldn't feel right otherwise.

Beth stared into the darkness of her apartment, knowing she should move and stop dwelling on the topic but unable to bring herself to do so. So she stood there, leaning against the door, silent, unmoving, until her phone lit up and rang in her hand, casting an eerie glow. Beth almost jumped at the sudden sound but when she saw Mick's name on the caller ID, she calmed.

"Hey."

"Beth." He sounded agitated. "Where are you?"

"Home." She heard him curse. "Mick, what's wrong?"

"Beth, listen to me. I want you to stay where you are and don't let anyone in. Do you hear me? Don't let anyone in!"

"What's going on?" she asked uneasily.

"Nothing, if I can help it," he replied grimly.

"Mick!" she said crossly. "I'm not a child; tell me what's going one!"

"Don't worry about it. I'm going to take care of it, but it might be nothing… I don't want to alarm you."

"_Mick_! If you don't tell me what's going on right now, I'm going to leave!"

"Beth, _please_! I'm coming over; I'll tell you everything when I see you. Just don't let anyone in until I'm there, okay?"

"Alright, fine," she sighed resignedly.

"I'll see you in twenty minutes then," he said softly.

"Yeah." Then he hung up. Beth frowned. Could this day get _any_ better?

She turned the lock on the door and flicked on the lights, then padded over to her kitchen. She dropped her keys and phone on the counter and was just about to turn away when something caught her eye. A small, black velvet jewelry box. And a note.

_Oh Josh…oh no…_ She picked up the note first. _For when you decide_, it said. Beth stared at the short phrase blankly. For when she decided? But they hadn't talked since he had proposed… had she unknowingly done something to lead him into believing that she would say yes? She put the note down and picked up the box, fingering it without opening it. At least the wait for Mick wouldn't be boring, she thought. Then, in one fluid motion, she flipped the box open.

* * *

Beth twirled the ring between her fingers, fascinated by the way the diamond glittered in the light. She had been worried that she would _hate_ the ring but to her surprise and relief, the ring had been beautiful. It was simple and elegant and the diamond was moderately sized without appearing gaudy. It made her smile to think that he _had_ remembered the conversation they had had regarding engagement rings. It felt like a lifetime ago though in reality, it had only been a few months before she had met Mick.

"_Matt and Bri engaged! Isn't that great?" Beth exclaimed. They were at her apartment and she was sprawled out on the couch, legs stretched across Josh's lap._

_Josh laughed. "So he finally proposed, huh? He's been working up the courage to do it for weeks!"_

"_Has he?" Beth rested her head on top of the couch. "How come you never told me?"_

"_He swore me to secrecy. Said it made him nervous to have too many people knowing."_

"_Mmm." Beth nodded knowingly. "So even when he's committed, he's still struggling with the commitment."_

"_More than ever," Josh agreed._

"_I'm just glad he didn't run again. Somehow, I don't think Bri would've been so forgiving this time… and they deserve each other; how can they be happy with anyone else?"_

"_You really believe in this true love, meant to be, thing, don't you?" he teased._

"_Hey, Matt overcoming his fear of commitment for Bri is proof of that!" she proclaimed._

"_Ah, yes, the ring on Bri's finger says it all."_

"_Only if she says it's the perfect ring," Beth countered playfully._

"_And does she?"_

_Beth made a face. "Yes."_

"_But you don't?" he asked, amused._

"_Am I that obvious?"_

"_A little." He held his thumb and forefinger several inches apart._

_She threw a pillow at him, laughing. "Shut up!"_

"_What's wrong with the ring?" he asked curiously._

"_It's very showy and that's very Bri, but I don't know… to me, it just screams 'engaged' to the whole world."_

"_And that's bad?"_

"_Well, no. I mean, I get the whole 'I want to share my joy with everyone' thing but it's knowing you've found the one that really matters isn't it? Not the size of the diamond or the fanciness of the ring."_

"_So Beth Turner likes plain and simple," Josh said thoughtfully. "I'll remember that."_

_Beth blushed. "You don't have to think that far ahead, Josh. We're in a good place now. I don't want to mess it up by leading you to believe I expect more when I don't."_

"_But I want to," he assured her, smiling. He leaned over and brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. "You're special, you know that? Maybe you're even the one. And if you are, I want to be ready."_

_Beth smiled, feeling a pleasant warmth buzz throughout her body. She caught Josh's hand in hers and tangled her fingers in his. "In that case, I'll hold you to it."_

Beth missed those days, the days when being together had been easy, fun. She couldn't remember the last time they had laughed like that nor could she remember the last time she had really looked forward to Josh's company. But a connection like that didn't just disappear; surely if they wanted it badly enough, they could have days like that again, couldn't they? She twisted the ring onto her finger and eyed it critically. Was there really such a thing as moving forward by going back? Was it worth the gamble to find out?

A sudden sharp rap sounded from her door. Beth hastily pulled the ring off, feeling her cheeks flame. _Mick!_ She rose and pressed the ring onto the counter before hurrying to the door. The knock sounded again, this time, more urgently. She unhooked the chain from the door and opened it a sliver. She peered out and the greeting she had been about to utter to Mick died on her tongue.

"_Charlotte_?"

"Hello, Beth. You seem surprised to see me. Didn't I say I looked forward to seeing you again?"

"How… how did you know I live here?"

"Come now, what happened to common courtesy? Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?" Beth asked innocently.

Charlotte narrowed her eyes. "Let me rephrase that. Open the door or I will force my way in."

Beth pushed the door closed but Charlotte was too fast for her. The door flew open and Beth tumbled onto the floor from the force of it. She gasped as the pain slammed into her side and flashes obscured her vision.

Charlotte eased the door close and smiled down at Beth. "Now, let's talk."


	25. Chapter 25

Thank you for the reviews! I've got the next chapter and some good news. I'm feeling a bit creative so there _might_ be another update later tonight; we'll have to see. Until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
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**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

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As soon as he stepped into Beth's building, Mick knew that something was wrong. The smell of vampire lingered in the air and got stronger as he approached her apartment. _What did she do?_ he wondered apprehensively. He had warned her not to let anyone in… He knew Beth and orders didn't go together well but he had hoped that she would care enough about her safety to heed his warning. "Oh,_ Beth,_" he sighed exasperatedly under his breath. Then he sped to her apartment.

He stood outside her door, trying to assess what was going on. He could hear the faint murmur of voices and he frowned when he realized that one of them was Beth's and the other Charlotte's. Not good, not good at all. He grasped the doorknob and forcibly pushed the door open.

Both were seated on the couch and both turned at his entrance. Charlotte's face lit up upon seeing him. "Mr. St. John! How nice of you to join us; it's only right that you should be here for this."

His gaze flicked to Beth. Her complexion was pale and her heart beating irregularly but other than that, she _appeared_ to be fine. Mick felt the predator in himself rise. He returned his gaze to Charlotte, eyes narrowed. "Here for what?" he asked coldly.

"Can't you guess?"

"You lied to me about those newly turned vamps."

"No. I said there are others like me out there. I never said I didn't turn them."

"You turned them against their will and if they weren't cut out for it, you abandoned them, let them go feral!"

"What I did to them was a blessing. I gave them a gift, freed them from mortality. The ones that _did_ make it thanked me for it later." She smiled fondly at Beth. "Just as she will, when she comes to understand what I'm giving her."

"It's not your choice to make," Mick spat, eyes beginning to change.

"We'll see about that." Charlotte grinned as her eyes turned a frosty blue and her fangs emerged.

Mick rushed at her but she had anticipated his move and rolled to the floor, taking Beth with her. They crashed into the coffee table, and sent it skidding. He hissed when he saw Beth wince in pain. "Let her go!"

She sat up and pulled Beth into a similar position. "I don't think so." Idly, she ran a finger through Beth's curls. "You see, she does want this. Maybe she doesn't know it yet but she will, in time. And since _you_ will never give it to her, you leave me no choice." She licked her lips and pushed Beth's hair aside, exposing her neck.

"No, wait," Beth said suddenly, voice clear and strong. "You're right; I want this, I do." Her gaze slid to Mick's. "But not like this."

_No!_ Mick felt something in him recoil as he stared at Beth in horror. "Beth, _no_! You don't want this. Not like this. Not any other way."

Charlotte laughed. "Romantic, aren't you?" She caressed Beth's neck slowly, trying to find the perfect artery. "I am too, you know. But I'm afraid I'll have to refuse your request. This one here," she gestured to Mick with her chin, "he'll never do it. He's not like the rest of us… he's of a different class." She smiled at Beth. "But once you're turned, you'll have eternity to change him. You understand, don't you?"

"Please," Beth said softly, eyes rising to look into Charlotte's. "Give him a chance. I trust him."

Charlotte hesitated, thrown by the emotion and resolve in Beth's eyes. It was almost like looking at herself; wasn't that how she had felt about Shane not so long ago? For a moment, she forgot herself and let her grip relax.

Mick noticed the change and saw his chance. Soundlessly, he leaped at her, fueled by his determination and Beth's trust. He would not let her down.


	26. Chapter 26

Thanks to all who left comments; I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Here's the next! As always, reviews are welcome.**  
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**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

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As soon as she felt Charlotte's grip slacken, Beth broke free and rolled away. Less than a second later, Mick descended on Charlotte and the two vampires careened into the bookshelf behind them. Debris exploded from the crushed bottom and fine sprinkles of wood puffed into the air even as books and other knick-knacks rained down around them. Beth watched in horror as the bookshelf began to tilt, unable to support itself any longer.

"Mick, watch out!" She scrambled to her feet and hurried toward her kitchen counter just as the shelf collapsed and sent out a powerful gust of wind.

Mick growled and with a single sweep of his arms, shrugged the wreckage off. He whirled around, making sure to keep one hand around Charlotte's throat, pinning her to the ground. He was completely vamped out—the blue of his eyes almost swallowed his dark pupils and his fangs were fully extended—but when Beth saw his face, she instantly felt reassured. "Beth, _get out of here_!" It was not a request but a command.

She nodded but had no intention of going anywhere. She was tired of running, tired of asking, "Mick, what happened?" This time, she would stay and wait it out, watch as everything unfolded.

Luckily Mick turned back to Charlotte without waiting to see if she left or not. "We're _vampires_," he hissed at her, increasing the pressure at her throat ever so slightly. "Not matchmakers, not God. We do not walk into people's lives and push them together as if they were pieces of a puzzle. And we do _not_ go around giving away immortality as if it were a gift! _It is not a gift_!"

"There are… some… out there… who would… kill… to have… immortality," she gasped out. "But… I don't… give it… to them." Mick relented his hold on her just enough to allow her to speak. A rush of air filled her lungs and she coughed. "I don't give it to them because they have nothing to live for… they would only spend eternity like you, always busy with the career, never leaving time for anything else…"

"It's not up to you to decide! They're complete strangers to you!"

"They weren't actually," she replied smugly.

He stared at her in surprise, almost forgetting to keep her restrained. Then he squeezed her throat. "I. Want. The. Truth."

"That_ is_ the truth," she wheezed.

"No, about Shane. What did you mean when you said he was willing to try?"

"After I turned him, he told me he wanted his life back. He wanted his family—his wife, his kid. He was under the impression that he could walk back into their lives as if nothing had changed. As if it didn't matter that he drank blood and they didn't. I told him it would never work. Not unless he turned _her_. His wife."

"Is he going to do it?" Mick growled, feeling his anger struggling to break free. But he held it down, not wanting to do something that would cause further damage to Beth's apartment. It had only been the awareness that he was in Beth's apartment that had stopped him from staking Charlotte immediately; had they been elsewhere, he would have killed her by now, without remembering to question her about Shane.

"He was, but he didn't have the guts. Backed out of it at the last minute saying he couldn't just decide to subject her to living like this; said it wasn't fair to her. _I _told him that if she really loved him, it didn't matter. But he didn't take the bait."

"So what, you told him to kidnap his daughter?"

"That was his own stupid idea," she said disgustedly. "I warned him against it, gave him a million reasons why it wouldn't work. I told him that if he did this, I wouldn't help him. But he did it anyway and look at the mess he's in now!"

"What else did he tell you?" Mick demanded.

"Nothing. I haven't talked to him since he took her."

"Have you seen him?"

"No," she answered crossly. "I thought 'haven't talked to him since' implied that."

Mick sighed. He had been sure that she would be able to shed insight on Shane.

"You're going to kill me, aren't you?" she asked, looking at him through narrowed her eyes.

He bared his fangs at her and growled. "I don't owe you anything. Not after what you did, not after the trail you left for us to clean up." He picked up a thick piece of wood from the pile of debris and pushed it into her chest. She screeched as it pierced her heart and rendered her motionless. Blood spurted from the wound, staining the wood and running off her body in thin rivulets.

Behind Mick, Beth gasped. In a flash, he was on his feet and facing her, his face already beginning to look human again. "I thought I told you to leave!"

She was staring at Charlotte's body with wide eyes. "I'm sorry!"

But he could tell that she wasn't. And he found that he couldn't be angry with her even though she had compromised her safety after promising not to. Her stubbornness, her refusal to let go—it was part of what drew him to her, what made it so hard for him to push her away. So he went to her and slipped his hand under her chin, lifting it so he could inspect her face. "Are you okay?"

Beth was surprised at his touch but managed not to show it. After the way they had left things this morning… but that didn't matter now. "Bruised and sore but other than that, yeah, I'm fine. Thank you."

"You have to be more careful, Beth," he chided softly.

"I shouldn't have answered the door so carelessly," she agreed ruefully. "If you hadn't come when you did…"

"You would be a vampire right now."

"Yeah…" She looked into his eyes. "Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad. There are worse things that could happen."

"Beth, no. You don't know what you're saying…"

"She just wanted to be loved, Mick. She just needed to _believe_ in love again. Is that wrong? Isn't that what we all want?"

"But not at the price of _this_."

"Aren't you tired of being alone?" she asked softly.

"Beth…" He got the feeling that she was asking a bigger question but he didn't dare guess what it could be. "Look, I…" Suddenly, he realized he was still holding her face. Regretfully, he pulled his hand away and dropped it on the counter surface. Almost immediately, he pulled his hand away, feeling a slight tingle on his palm. He glanced down and saw a silver ring. A silver _engagement_ ring. Involuntarily, he stiffened.

Beth tensed when she saw where his gaze had landed. "Mick…" she began, her voice trailing off.

"I should go," he said finally after several moments of silence. He turned and hurried toward where Charlotte lay.

"Mick, wait… this isn't what you think!" Beth called out. "It's complicated…"

He bent down and scooped Charlotte into his arms. He answered without looking at her. "You know what? It's okay. I understand. And besides, it's none of my business."

"Mick, please… we should talk."

But he was gone before she finished and the only sign that he had been there at all was the thump of the door as it closed behind him. She stared at the door knowing he wouldn't come back but almost wishing that he would. Then her attention shifted to the mess in her living room. There were wood splinters everywhere and now that there was no disturbance, the dust was beginning to settle. In fact, a fine layer of dust had already covered the books and other small things that lay among the remains of the bookshelf. Beth knew she should pick it all up… but she was tired of picking up the pieces. Maybe she would just leave it there. Just for one night.


	27. Chapter 27

Hello, hello! I come bearing gifts; I hope you all enjoy this one! Thank you for the reviews and hope you guys continue to leave them!

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

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_Beth pushed the double doors open ever so slightly and peered out through the crack. "Oh my goodness!" she all but squealed. She pulled back, stunned. "It's a full house," she breathed. She glanced behind her for reassurance but the girls were already out there and in place. It was just her and the gilded, full-length French mirrors. She smoothed out the big, puffy white dress she was wearing and tried not to feel so ridiculous in said dress. How she had gotten roped into wearing such a dress she didn't know… _Well maybe because it's a wedding dress and you're getting married, you dope,_ she thought to herself. Yeah, that would explain it. She twirled slowly and studied her reflections from the multiple mirrors. She had to admit, it definitely didn't look as ridiculous as it felt. Especially considering how the rest of her look seemed to complement the dress. Her hair had been twisted and piled on top of her head casually, with a few curls tumbling out here and there. And underneath the mass of blond curls, a wispy white veil floated down, past her shoulders and just above her waist. Delicate strands of pearls hung from her ears and encircled her neck and wrist, glinting in the light. In short, she looked breathtaking. She couldn't even believe the figure in the mirror was herself._

_Beth paced the room nervously, feeling like a caged animal. Was it normal for a bride to be this nervous on the big day? She stole another peek through the double doors, this time searching for… well, actually, she didn't know who she was looking for. Who was it that she was getting married to? It was so strange; she should know but she couldn't, for the life of her, remember who the groom was. Images of wedding dress fittings, conversations with wedding planners, and the rehearsal dinner flitted through her mind but she couldn't see his face, couldn't remember how he had proposed to her. How could she get married if she didn't know _who_ her fiancé was? Desperately, Beth squinted at the figures at the end of the aisle. She had to know!_

_The faces were murky at first but gradually, Beth was able to make them out. Marissa, Julia, Bri, _Carl_? Then that would mean… and yes, there he was! Josh! Beth let the door fall closed. Of course! How could she have forgotten? She was marrying Josh, sweet, caring Josh._

_She remembered the proposal now, remembered it as if he had asked her just yesterday._

"I want more than that Beth. I want you to marry me."

"Marry me, Beth."

_And the ring, the ring! It had been beautiful, perfect. Proof of how well he knew her, of how much he wanted this. Oh yes. All the hours they had sat down together poring over magazines, catalogues, plans. Beth had never imagined a big wedding but Josh had insisted, had said every girl wanted a big wedding whether she knew it or not. So a big wedding it was._

_Beth felt reassured, but still, she was uncharacteristically nervous. This was ridiculous! She was a reporter; she was used to crowds. She didn't, _shouldn't_, fear them. But she did. Or at least, she feared this particular crowd. Their excited chatter, their joyful expectations, were making a mess of her nerves. But still, she somehow knew when it was time. She adjusted her veil, took a deep breath, and let a mask of calm fall over her features before throwing the doors open. Instantly, the chatter subsided to a whisper as the sea of faces simultaneously turned to watch her. Despite her clammy hands and the sudden coldness that ran down her spine, Beth managed to make it down the aisle with cool, calculated steps._

_Josh was waiting for her at the end and when she reached him, he smiled reassuringly at her. Beth smiled back, but inside, she felt her anxiety continue to build, like storm clouds that kept gathering and crowding into each other. _

"_Dearly beloved," the minister began. "We are gathered here today…"_

_Beth barely heard what he was saying. Her gaze and mind wandered among the guests, seeking out familiar faces. So many people! She knew some of the unknown faces were Josh's relatives but there were some that she thought she vaguely recognized from work though she couldn't be sure._

"…_If anyone objects to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace," the minister intoned, looking up as he finished._

_It was then that Beth saw Mick among the guests, in the front row. He was staring stoically ahead but when he felt her gaze, he turned and their eyes locked. Beth felt her throat constrict. He smiled tentatively at her but she wasn't fooled; she could see the accusation and confusion in his eyes. _Why?_ they seemed to ask._

_The coil of unease in her belly tightened, almost making her double over from its intensity. Then Mick's expression smoothed into indifference and she felt the emotion explode and flood her body. The air rushed out of her lungs and reflexively, Beth felt her lips part into an "O" as she struggled to breathe._

_The minister continued without appearing to notice her discomfort. "Do you, Beth, take Josh Lindsey to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish as long as you shall both live?"_

_He looked expectantly at her. Josh looked expectantly at her. A moment later, she felt Mick's gaze join theirs. And then everyone else's. "I…" Her voice faltered. Spots of light swam before her eyes and around her, the room began to waver._

"_Miss Turner?" The minister looked at her uncertainly, then at Josh._

"_Beth?" he asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"_

_Behind them, the crowd began to murmur. Beth felt her legs buckle beneath her. _Oh no…_ In a flash, Mick was at her side. The room faded around them as he caught her fall and lifted her. "You're okay," he whispered._

Beth awoke with a gasp, her breaths coming out fast and labored. What had just happened? Surely it wasn't all a dream… it had felt so real! The dress, the nerves, Mick's closeness… it had to be real! She could still feel her head spinning slightly… Beth closed her eyes again and the spinning stilled but her heart was still racing erratically. Beth pressed a hand against her chest, frowning. She couldn't keep doing this, couldn't keep holding out on Josh. It wasn't fair to either of them. He deserved an answer. _She_ deserved an answer. She sat up and swung her legs over her bed. And she would give him an answer; him and her both.


	28. Chapter 28

Thank you guys for all your feedback; I really appreciate it! To those who've been waiting since last week, sorry! Been busy with finals but I've got several days off before the Spring term begins so I'm hoping to get a few more chapters in.

Flare102 - Wow! All I can say is, that is one big coincidence. I've never actually heard of "Dark Shadows" before, so the names Laura and Gabriel Collins really did come out of thin air, so to speak. Thanks for bringing it up; it's always fun to hear about things like these... but then again, I may be weird like that too!  
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**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

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The little waves and familiar smiles directed at her did nothing to soothe Beth's nerves as she tried to make it to Josh's office unnoticed. She couldn't help but feel as if they were all aware of_ why_ she was here, though she knew she was being paranoid. Especially since no one paid any attention to her for more than a few seconds before returning to whatever they had been doing. She found the door to Josh's office open and wandered in cautiously, knocking to alert him of her presence. 

He looked up from his desk. "Beth! What are you doing here?"

"I was hoping we could talk," she said quietly. "That is, unless I disturbed you from something important…"

"No, just paperwork," he said quickly. He leaned forward, squinting at her. "Beth, are you okay?" He touched the side of his face. "Your face looks a little swollen…"

"I'm fine. I just got a little clumsy last night."

He raised both eyes in disbelief but didn't question her further. "So what did you want to talk about?"

Beth closed the door, then reached into her bag and pulled out the little black velvet box. She walked to his desk and placed the box in front of him. "About this."

It didn't escape her notice that his eyes flew to her left hand as soon as he had seen the box. "You're not wearing it. Is it because you don't like it?" He looked at her hopefully.

"Josh, no! No! It's not about the ring. The ring is gorgeous, perfect. It's just—"

"It was my grandmother's. My grandfather didn't have much money when he proposed but he managed to get enough together to get a decent ring. And as it turned out, it was exactly what my grandmother wanted. You remember that day we talked about rings?"

Beth smiled half-heartedly. "Yes."

"I thought immediately of my grandmother's ring and how she would have been so—"

"Josh!" She hated to do this to him but… "I don't think it's going to work."

Josh stared at her, mouth still open from talking. "I… We… This… Look, Beth, if this is about the problems we've been having, we could fix it. I'm working on the Mick thing, I _swear_."

"It's not about that either." She held up her hand to silence him when she saw him prepare to interject. "Wait; just let me finish. I know we've been going out for a while and I know we've been pretty serious but I just don't think I'm ready to get married."

"It doesn't have to be now… I could wait until you're ready."

"Josh, you told me that if we were going to make this work, you needed to know that we're going somewhere. And I don't think we are. I think this is it."

"I didn't mean that!" Then, seeing the expression on her face, he hastily amended the statement. "I mean, I _did_ mean it but not like that! I wasn't trying to say it was either we get married or we break up… I don't want to lose you."

Beth shifted on her feet and sighed. "I don't want to lose you either, Josh, but you were right… we keep going in circles and it's not fair to either of us anymore. We can't keep doing this."

The silence between them grew awkwardly and finally, Josh spoke, tone cold. "And this has nothing to do with Mick?"

_So close!_ Beth thought. They had been so close to breaking it off civilly. "This is exactly what I'm talking about Josh! It always comes down to this doesn't it?"

"Are you telling me you expect me to believe that _nothing_ happened between you and Mick between the night I proposed and now?"

"What are you talking about? You proposed the night before yesterday; what could possibly have happened in a day?"

"You went to him!" Josh accused. "What was I supposed to think?"

"You _followed_ me?" Beth felt the blood rush to her cheeks as the anger and panic began to flare.

"I wanted to surprise you, take you out to breakfast. But you weren't home, so on a hunch, I decided to check his place and sure enough, your car was parked outside his building!"

"That doesn't mean anything!"

"Doesn't it? You said you needed time to think about it and the _very next morning_ you went to his place? What, did you two break out the champagne and have a good laugh?"

"Nothing happened, Josh! We were just working on a case!" But she knew he didn't believe her.

"Right, right. Of course you were," he scoffed. "How is it that your cases always overlap? Come on, Beth; I'm not stupid. I've seen the way you look at him! And the way you talk about him, he might as well be a saint!"

"Okay! I admit it; I have feelings for Mick," she exploded. "But I didn't ask to fall for him and I certainly didn't ask for the guilt that came with those feelings! There! Are you happy now, Josh? You were right all along." Beth took a shaky breath. She could feel a tumult of emotions rising in her throat, threatening to overtake her.

He sat back in his chair, looking miserable. "No, Beth, I'm not happy. I thought—I hoped—that what we had was strong enough that I could ignore it and it would go away… but it wasn't. Since you met him, I've been losing you."

She sat and took his hand in hers. "I'm sorry, Josh. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know… I know. But does it have to be _him_?"

"Josh, Mick and I… we're not together… we're just friends."

Josh pulled his hand away. "Dammit Beth! I just want you to be safe! I don't want you to get hurt!"

She stared at him, bewildered. "I _am_ safe… why wouldn't I be?"

He was silent and refused to meet her eyes. He seemed to be considering something, but Beth wasn't sure.

"Josh? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"He's not who you think he is." Still, he didn't look up.

"Look, I know Mick doesn't exactly do things by the book but he's not running from the law or anything if that's what you think," she said cautiously.

Finally he looked up and Beth was shocked to see that his eyes were wild, almost fevered. "He's been lying to you Beth! His name might not even be Mick St. John!"

_Has he gone completely insane?_ "What are you talking about? Mick is exactly who he says he is."

"I'm sorry, Beth. I know you trust him but…" He reached under his desk and pulled a drawer open. "The only records of a Mick St. John was one born in 1922." He pushed a file folder across the desk at her. "See for yourself."

The blood drained from Beth's face. "You _researched_ Mick?"

"Beth! Did you even hear what I said? _1922_! That is not the Mick you know!"

"That was his father!" she snapped, the lie tumbling out automatically. She snatched the file from his desk. "What were you thinking, Josh? Jealousy or not, Mick's past is none of your business!"

He looked surprised at her reaction but his expression soon twisted into anger. "I was looking out for you," he spat. "You were so wrapped up in his _charms_ that you couldn't see who he really was!"

"I do know who he is Josh! He's told me and his story checks out. So stop looking out for me. Stop _this_." She shook the file at him. "Just stop, Josh. He's not a common criminal so he's not your concern!" She rose. "I mean it Josh," she added quietly. "If you keep digging into his past, you'll be sorry."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a warning. I care about you Josh and despite all this, I don't want to see anything happen to you." With that, she turned to leave.

"Beth! You can't just walk out like this…!"

"Goodbye Josh." She walked out of his office without looking back, managing to muster a smile as she passed all his colleagues again. Once she was outside, the tears couldn't fall fast enough. She knew without a doubt that she and Josh could never be friends again.


	29. Chapter 29

Again, thank you for all feedback! I hope you enjoy this chapter and as usual, all reviews are appreciated.  
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**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

The spare key flashed as it clattered on the tabletop. Beth had found it on her kitchen counter, along with several phone messages, upon her return home. She blinked back tears as she played through the messages one more time. They were all she had left of Josh. The few things he had left at her place—a toothbrush, some articles of clothing, a book here and there—were already gone. Truth be told, she wouldn't have noticed if not for the message he had left.

"_Beth, hey… I wanted to call your cell but after the way we left things, I wasn't sure if you'd talk to me…I just… I wanted to let you know I'm coming by later to pick up my things and I was hoping… well, see you then?"_

Ruthlessly, Beth pressed the 'Delete' button. So far, so good… this was okay. She could do this. She took a deep breath and played the next one.

"_Beth, I stopped by your apartment. Got my things. Left the key. But I didn't see you. Are you avoiding me? I know it hasn't even been a day yet but don't I deserve better than that? Please, let's just talk. Maybe we couldn't make it work as a couple but we could make it work as—"_

Beth jabbed the 'Delete' button again. _Friends_. That was what he had been about to say and frankly, Beth thought he was out of his mind. They had had a good run but when it started to fall apart, it had come crashing down quickly. _Too _quickly. There was too much baggage for a clean slate. Sighing, she replayed the last message.

"_You were right. It was wrong of me to check up on Mick. It was petty and unprofessional of me… but in my defense, I wasn't looking to incriminate him. I was just angry. You kept telling me that you and Mick had a strictly professional relationship but I knew better. I don't know what I was trying to prove but you were absolutely right—his life is none of my business. So in the spirit of friendship, I'm sorry. Give me a chance, Beth… I'm trying…"_

Beth's finger hovered over the 'Delete' button. When she had first heard the message, she had been tempted to call him back but the fear of getting sucked into something she would later regret had stopped her. Not to mention, she couldn't help but wonder at the sincerity of his words. Josh was determined and at times, ruthless, to say the least. She didn't doubt that he had dropped his investigation but now that his curiosity had been piqued, would he really be able to stay away? Especially since he blamed Mick for losing her… he had said himself that it had been an act of anger.

With a sigh of resignation, Beth picked up the phone. She would call him. But only to make sure that Mick's secret was safe; no getting herself roped into some 'just friends' arrangement. Slowly, Beth dialed the number; it was so familiar that she didn't even have to think about it. She would miss that familiarity. She pressed the last number and heard the ringing on the other end. She was just about to lift the receiver to her ear when beside her, her cell lit up and shrilled. The display flashed "Mick St. John". She scooped the cell into her free hand and glanced between the two phones uncertainly. She could hear Josh's voice, small and distorted, from the handset. _Sorry, Josh._ She disconnected.

"Hey, Mick," she greeted lightly. Or at least, she tried to; to Beth's horror, her voice wavered and sounded hoarse.

There was a pause, then, "Are you okay? You sound like you've been—"

Beth cleared her throat and cut him off. "I'm fine." This time, her voice came out more firmly.

"Okay…" But she heard the disbelief in his voice.

"So what's up?"

"I was going to say I need your help but…"

"Mick, I said I'm okay!"

She was answered with another pause. "I need you to come by the Williamson bank," he said finally.

"You found Gilly?"

"Not quite. I'll explain when I see you."

Normally, she would've demanded details but tonight, she wasn't in the mood to argue. "Okay."

"Oh and Beth?"

"Yeah?"

"Bring your car."


	30. Chapter 30

Thank you to all for the reviews! The spring term starts for me tomorrow but before I possibly disappear for a few days again, I wanted to leave the next chapter. There's only about three left to go after this one so I hope you enjoy it! Meanwhile, I will be furiously working on Chapter 31 and trying to get it up before the end of week; reviews are most definitely welcome.  
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**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

Beth hurried back to Mick's car, shivering. She climbed into the passenger seat and was met with raised eyes. "Cold?" Mick asked.

"Truth? I'm a little creeped out that there's a possibly insane vampire in the area."

"That's unlikely. This whole kidnapping and robbery is too well orchestrated to be the work of a madman."

"Easy for you to say," Beth grumped. "You're sitting here, safe, in your car and even if you weren't, you could take him in a fair fight… Me, I'm just the mortal foolish enough to be walking around—even though I have a car!—a deserted area at this time of the night."

"I don't know… I would think twice before attacking you," he teased.

"Is that why _you_ haven't yet?"

"One of many reasons," he agreed amiably.

Beth snorted. "So you're really serious about this whole stakeout thing?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"How can you be sure Shane will leave Gilly unattended? Isn't that a little reckless of him? Especially considering how far he's come…"

"He needs supplies and he won't bring Gilly with him while he's getting them."

"And you think he'll get them tonight?" She glanced at him. "You don't think you're being presumptuous at all?"

"His last robbery was three days ago and by the look of things when we were there, it doesn't seem to have been very successful," Mick pointed out. "He's going to need formula soon."

"So… we just wait it out?"

"That's the plan."

"Okay." The silence between them grew, settling somewhere between awkward and companionable, which, to Beth, made it overall uncomfortable. She kept shooting looks at Mick and she was fairly certain that when he thought she wasn't looking, he was stealing just as many glances at her. "About yesterday…" Beth began finally. She tried to meet his eyes but he quickly looked away.

"I guess congratulations are in order," he said softly.

"Actually…" She reached into her bag and pulled out the file folder. She handed it to Mick.

"What's this?"

"Just one of the reasons why I broke things off with Josh."

For a moment, a play of emotions spilled across his face. Surprise, joy, and dismay warred for dominance. But just as quickly as they had appeared, they disappeared. He glanced down at the folder. His name stared back at him, glaringly obvious. "He was keeping tabs on me."

"Yes," Beth confirmed. "He had your birth certificate, marriage license, property papers…"

"How did you get this?"

"He gave it to me although I don't think he meant for me to take it. He only wanted me to see that you weren't who you said you were."

"Thank you." Mick didn't know what else to say, didn't know what else he _could_ say.

"Mick, you know I would never let anyone discover your secret, don't you?"

He gazed at her with sad eyes. "I wish I could protect you in the same way."

"But you do. You're my guardian angel."

"I wouldn't have to be if it weren't for _me_. I'm the reason you needed a guardian angel in the first place."

"Mick, stop blaming yourself. Maybe I do need protection because of you but you stayed to give it to me. You could have walked away but you chose not to."

He scoffed. "A lot of good that did. You just lost another piece of your life because of me…"

"You mean Josh?" She shook her head. "I thought we could make things work but we weren't right for each other. I know that now." She felt a lump rise in her throat.

"Beth, you went out with him for over a year. You can't tell me you have no regrets that it's over."

"Of course I have my regrets." She looked at him. "But things change and I just think it's for the best… Josh is ready for marriage, I'm not; we're not the same people we were a year ago."

"Because of me," he said. His eyes widened when he realized what he had said. "Beth, wait. I didn't—"

"Yes, because of you," she interrupted softly. She reached up and trailed her fingers across his cheek. "I tried to convince myself that I was breaking things off with Josh because it was what was best for both of us. We were growing apart, we always fought… I wanted to go back, he wanted to go forward… But the truth is, I couldn't stop wondering if there was a deeper love than what I felt for Josh."

Gently, Mick pulled her hand from his face and held it in both hands, caressing her palm absently. "Maybe there is… but not with me."_I wish it was_, he almost said. But he caught himself just in time. "You deserve someone who's mortal, who can give you children, who can grow old with you. And you _will_ find someone like that, Beth. You'll see."

"What if I don't want any of that? What if—"

Mick stiffened suddenly and gave her a warning look. "Shh…"

Beth opened her mouth to protest but he placed a finger against her lips and mouthed _Shane_. Understanding flooded her eyes and he motioned for her to get down. As she did she saw a dark shadow flit past a nearby tree. After what felt like an eternity she felt Mick tap her shoulder and whisper, "Let's go." He was already out of the car and moved to open the door for her.

"Are you sure he's gone?" she whispered back as she climbed out.

"Yes. And I can smell Gilly's fear too. We better hurry." 

* * *

The interior of the bank turned out to be just as they remembered—unkempt, musty, and in Beth's opinion, creepy. She followed Mick quietly as he scented the air and picked his way to the back. To neither of their surprise, they ended up in exactly the same room they had been in a few days ago. To Shane's credit, however, the room was considerably neater. The toys and stuffed animals, which had previously been littered throughout the room, were now piled along one wall and the empty cans that had been haphazardly shoved in one corner were now arranged in some semblance of stacks. As Mick had suspected, the few cans of unused formula that had been present were now gone, having probably joined the stack of empty cans.

"There she is," Beth murmured, eyes fixed on the far corner where Gilly lay, thinly separated from making contact with the floor by the pile of blankets she was on. She was half shrouded in shadows but Beth had seen her because of the narrow beam of moonlight streaming through the now closed window, shining on her like a spotlight. Beth started towards her.

"Beth, wait!" Mick grabbed her arm. "Remember the plan?"

"Yes, Mick. Of course I do; you only made me repeat it about _ten_ times," she said impatiently. She tried to shake his hand off but he tightened his grip.

"Tell me. Just once more so we're clear."

"Take Gilly and drive; no matter what happens, don't stop and don't look back until I'm at Anna's," she recited.

"Good, good." Mick released her arm. "It's just that this isn't just about you putting yourself in danger… it's about what happens to Gilly too."

"Relax, Mick. I know how important this is to you; it matters to me too, you know. I won't let anything happen to her."

He nodded and Beth crossed the room, braving the shadowy semidarkness to retrieve Gilly. 

* * *

Despite what she had promised Mick, Beth kept glancing back at the bank as she hurried away. She couldn't shake the feeling that leaving Mick to wait for Shane alone was a mistake. She knew she was being ridiculous though. Mick was more than capable of taking care of himself and besides, he had years of experience on Shane. So she squelched the little voices in her head and continued to put distance between herself and the looming structure of the crumbling bank.

In her arms, Gilly was beginning to stir. She made little murmurs and wiggled in her blankets. "Shh, shh," Beth pleaded. "Come on, baby, we're almost there. Just a little more, okay?" She bounced the little bundle softly and by the time she reached her car, Gilly had settled back into a deep slumber. Beth breathed a sigh of relief and opened the back door. She strapped Gilly into the baby seat Mick had given her earlier and smoothed the wisps of hair on top of her head soothingly. "You'll be home soon," she promised softly.

Beth climbed into the car and started the engine. She looked back one more time, hoping Mick would be safe. _Be careful, _she pleaded silently. Then she stepped down on the accelerator and steered the car towards safety.


	31. Chapter 31

Thanks guys, for all your kind comments. The programming office has been cruel to me, but I'm over it now so I finally got the next chapter written. There's just 2 more to go so I really hope you enjoy this chapter!

No worries about not reviewing earlier Flare102; I'm just happy you like the fic. Hope your computer's all well now though! I know I hate it when my computer goes all bizarre on me.

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

The streets were crowded with more people than he had expected and Shane almost regretted choosing this area; it was the closest place to the bank that had come to mind but that was where the convenience ended. The theft itself had been easy enough—the people at the store had been so wrapped up in their little lives and counting the minutes until their shifts ended that they had barely noticed when he entered the store. He had literally walked back out, bag of formula in hand and their only reaction had been to smile and wish him a good night, having mistakenly assumed that he had been among the confusion of people at the register. Normally, Shane would have never taken such a risk but tonight, he was desperate; it had been almost a day since he had fed Gilly and he didn't have time nor did he have the patience to skulk around and wait for the perfect opportunity. The few cans he had stolen wouldn't last Gilly long but he would arrange another heist later tonight; right now, he had to get back.

The problem now was that he could only go as fast as mortally possible if he didn't want to alert suspicion. He suspected he had already done so—what else could explain the visitors at a bank that had burned down two decades ago?—and wasn't eager to invite more attention upon himself. Still, the moment he stepped away from all the noise and the lives, he released a sigh he hadn't realized he had been holding and sped off. Gilly had been sleeping when he left her but he couldn't shake the unease that grew with each passing second. She had been high-strung and cranky tonight, whimpering and refusing to remain quiet when Shane left her sight. He knew it was, in part, due to her hunger and unmet expectancy for nourishment but it had never been this bad so far! When he had first taken her, he had underestimated the amount of milk she would need and consequently, the formula he stole consistently fell short of her needs but on those occasions, she had simply looked at him with large sad eyes that seemed to say, _I understand, I forgive you._ Tonight, his departure seemed to be a signal for some impending doom and every time he came back to try and calm her, her eyes begged him to stay. He had been on the verge of bringing her along but when he held her in his arms, ready to go, he knew it was too risky and that he could be in and out much faster without her.

Shane stopped suddenly, sure that he smelled Gilly. The blurs of colors around him slammed into place and sharpened into distinct shapes. Shane tuned his eyes to the darkness but all he saw was a lone silver car. He squinted after it but it was speeding away and all he could make out was a blonde at the wheel; he relaxed slightly when he realized she was a human. He lifted his head and inhaled again, but this time, he smelled only the staleness of the abandoned area. Shane frowned, unconvinced that the smell had only been a figment of his imagination. But then the bank was nearby… perhaps his abilities were enhancing from frequent use…

He gave his head a shake. Why was he standing here when the bank—and Gilly—was within reach? He covered the remaining distance in a flash and was instantly struck with the scent of fresh fear and nervousness.

_A blonde—the blonde!—steps into the bank's interior, glancing around restlessly. Another figure, dark-haired, a man, hovers protectively, close behind her. He soon takes the lead however, seeming to have assessed that there is no danger. With quick, unfaltering steps, they make their way to the back of the bank, to Gilly's room. They seem surprised to see the room, but not as if they haven't seen it before; rather, it seems they are seeing something other than what they expect to see._

_They argue quietly for a few moments, then the blonde strides across the room and picks up Gilly, his Gilly! She holds her tenderly but purposefully and leaves the room, stopping to say something to the man. He nods at her and touching her on the arm, tells her to be careful. Then she's gone, and it's just him. He stares after her, caught in some unreadable emotion but a moment later, he turns his attention to scrutinizing the room and it is as if she was never with him._

No! No, it couldn't be! Shane tore off, to the back of the bank and peered through the half-collapsed window. And just as the vision had predicted, there the man was, sitting cross-legged in the center of the room. What did he do now? Did he stay and confront this insolent man who had the nerve to help the woman take Gilly and then remain? Or did he go after the woman who had his daughter? He sniffed the air and to his shock, realized that the man was no man at all! Shane knew the other vampire was much older than him—a lot of vampires were. Surely he understood why he had taken Gilly, surely he knew he would never hurt her! He recalled the way the other vampire had looked at the mortal woman… he understood; Shane was sure of it! His anger flared; how dare this _vampire_ interfere. Who did he think he was? Shaking with fury, Shane stepped closer to the window until he was almost pressed against it. He placed a hand on the glass, trying to judge the force it would take to break it completely. The vampire still sat inside, unmoving, unaware. Unconsciously, Shane's head leaned in closer, calculating the distance between them, envisioning the trajectory he would take. He felt his eyes burn as their color bled to a pale, almost-white, blue. His fangs extended more rapidly than he thought was possible and finally, the strength, heady and intoxicating, began to circulate through him. He stumbled back a few steps and stood, knees bent, muscles tensed for the jump. He was ready. A second later, the peace around him vanished as glass exploded in front of him, behind him, everywhere. 

* * *

Mick anticipated the attack a full half-minute before it happened. He could feel Shane moving, positioning himself so he could get it just right. Finally, Mick felt him still and knew he was ready. Mick loosened his crossed legs and pushed his palms more firmly against the floor. Behind him, he heard the window shatter and before Shane could grasp what had happened, he was on his feet and retreating to a shadowy corner. Shane landed in the center of the room, tumbling forward as his hands grabbed the air viciously, unbalancing him.

"Missed me," Mick called quietly.

Shane whirled around and charged toward him but Mick's hands flew up reflexively and caught his arms. "Where is your friend taking her?" he growled, while trying to break free.

"To her mother, where she belongs," Mick replied coldly. He hurled Shane across the room, then sped after him. "Tell me, did you ever love her?"

"Who, Anna?" He tried to dodge away but Mick caught his neck and pinned him to the wall.

"Yes, Anna," Mick hissed, now fully vamped out.

"Of course I did. I still do."

Mick dropped him in surprise. Immediately, Shane barreled into him and the two vampires slid against the floor. Mick twisted away just as Shane leapt onto the spot where he had been. "If you love her, then why did you take Gilly? She's all Anna has; did you even see how this has been affecting her?"

"Gilly is my daughter too!" He rammed into Mick and this time, he didn't miss. He encircled Mick's throat and applied pressure. "Tell your friend to bring her back! I don't want to have to hurt her but I will if that's what it comes down to."

The mention of Beth brought a surge of energy through Mick. "Leave her out of this!" He ripped Shane's hands off and slammed him into the wall. It shook and debris crumbled into the air around them. "Do you hear me? If you hurt her in _any_ way you'll wish you were dead after I'm through with you!" He threw him into the wall and this time, cracks spiderwebbed the surface.

Shane slid to the floor, coughing. But instead of acquiescing, he smiled slyly. "You know, you and I, we're not so different."

"We're nothing alike!" Mick was beginning to wish he had brought one of his knives instead of just a stake. As long as they had recovered Gilly, he didn't really need answers; he just wanted them… Now, the truth in Shane's words was making him hesitate.

Seeing his opportunity, Shane continued, slowly slinking away as he spoke. "That woman you were with, you love her don't you? But you could never turn her? That's how it was for me too. I wanted to turn Anna but when the time came, I couldn't do it… all she wanted was a normal life. I couldn't take it away from her and hurt her like that."

Mick descended on him, roaring, but he scrambled away with a surprising speed. "But you hurt her anyway when you took Gilly."

"Gilly loves me; she knows I'm her father even when she sees me like this."

"That doesn't justify what you did." Mick sped into him and they hurtled out of the window and onto hard concrete. "I won't let you hurt them anymore." He pulled out the stake.

The sight of the stake seemed to enhance Shane's strength; Mick had to struggle to maintain his hold on him. "I was lonely," he cried out wildly. "Surely you understand… I had no one!"

Mick hesitated and too late, he realized that that had been what Shane had been counting on. The stake slipped from his hand and clattered toward the bank. Mick reached to grab it but Shane shot into him and they collided into the bank, the stake just out of reach. The wall trembled behind them and a large crack ran along the top. It teetered precariously and fell on them, most of it disintegrating as it did. Mick blinked the dust out of his vision and saw that Shane had managed to retrieve the stake. "Shane," he warned. "You don't want to do this… they deserve better, you _know_ they do."

He shook his head, making sure to never loosen his hold on Mick. "I'm sorry; I didn't want to do this. But I can't let you take Gilly back… She needs me… and I can't spend eternity alone. I just can't." He plunged the stake down.


	32. Chapter 32

Hello to all you kind readers following this fic! Let me just say that I am extremely sorry for taking so long to update; it's just been one crazy week at school! As always, thanks to everyone who left reviews and I hope you continue to do so! Enjoy! The last chapter will come within the next few days; that's a promise!

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

"Beth, I can't thank you enough," Anna exclaimed, eyes shining. She was pacing the room, rocking Gilly to sleep, but she couldn't stop beaming at Beth, who was seated on the couch. 

Beth smiled half-heartedly. "Really, Anna, it's no big deal. I'm happy to have been able to help."

She noticed Beth's lack of enthusiasm and stopped pacing. "Oh Beth, I'm sorry if it seems I'm overdoing it on the gratitude. It's just… well, I can't even begin to describe how grateful and relieved I am." She came and sat beside Beth. "Before all this, I sometimes wished it was a little quieter around here but these last two weeks… I almost went crazy in the silence. You saw how I laughed before, when Gilly started crying; I kept imagining the sound of her crying in the silence and when I finally heard it for real, I just couldn't believe how beautiful it sounded." She laughed quietly and cradled Gilly closer. "I don't think I'll ever wish for quiet again."

"Oh no, Anna, I'm not begrudging you your joy. You have every right to be happy. _I'm_ happy for you, I am… I just can't stop worrying about Mick."

"I thought you said he would be here soon…"

"I did, but Mick… he has a tendency to attract trouble."

Anna sat up straighter. "That's right; you told me he was going to make sure that whoever took Gilly never has the chance to hurt someone else. So it wasn't Shane?"

"No, Anna, it wasn't. I'm sorry."

"That's okay." She smiled brightly but Beth could see she was disappointed. "We've learned to cope, right baby girl?" She kissed Gilly's forehead and stood. "I'll be right back; I think it's time I let Gilly sleep in her own bed. You want anything?"

"No, I'm fine." Beth watched as she shifted Gilly to her shoulder and disappeared from the room. She wished she had told the truth about Shane but Mick had been clear—under no circumstances was she to tell Anna the truth. It would only hurt her and for no good reason. Beth had argued that Anna deserved the truth but Mick had countered by saying that even if she knew the truth, it wouldn't change anything because it couldn't change the fact that Shane was a vampire and she, a mortal and that had been that.

To Beth's chagrin, the seconds seemed to tick by loudly and slowly in the newfound stillness. She kept glancing down at the cell phone in her slightly moist palm, willing it to ring. What was taking him so long? They had speculated that Shane couldn't have strayed far but since they didn't know for sure, Mick had cautioned her against expecting him too soon. Still, she couldn't help but get the feeling that something was wrong, off. She told herself she was being absurd and paranoid. Her worries were unfounded. But her brain refused to rest and raced from one possibility to another. What if Shane was stronger than they had given him credit for? Or what if he was able to take Mick by surprise? Worse, what if Shane had backup that they had failed to anticipate? Beth knew it was bad idea but she thought back to the desert incident. It had been the first time she had realized that Mick wasn't invincible and that his life was as fragile as hers. She remembered the shock and dismay she felt when she had seen his condition. Leni had warned her otherwise, but until that point, she had thought that "alive" was synonymous to "okay".

Beth shuddered; the memory of how close she had come to losing him never failed to chill him. She felt the sudden urge to see him, to hear his voice—anything to assure her that he was alive. Without thinking, Beth lifted her hand and watched with unseeing eyes as her thumb flew rapidly across her cell phone screen, the motion of finding Mick's number so familiar that it had become second nature. She held the phone up to her ear and waited as the call went through. She listened to the other line ring with growing impatience and finally, she felt her hopes rise as the ringing broke off, indicating that her call had been picked up. She was greeted briefly by Mick's voice then by a machine-recorded female voice. Her heart plummeted. She had been redirected to voicemail. 

* * *

Mick rested a hand on the handle of the car door, debating over whether or not he should go in. He peered at himself critically in the rearview mirror, trying to gauge how presentable he looked. His face was fine; the few minor cuts he had gotten had healed long before and the only sign that anything had been amiss was his slightly matted hair. But beyond his neck and shoulders, his chest and lower body were a mess, mostly due to the rumpled appearance of his clothes. Unconsciously, he reached up and touched a spot on his left chest exposed by the hole in his shirt. As soon as his finger made contact with the torn fabric, he decided he couldn't go in. There would be too many questions asked. Questions that were better left unanswered, at least where Anna was concerned. 

He patted his pockets and after locating his phone, he pulled it out and dialed Beth. She picked up immediately and Mick wondered if she had been waiting for his call. He immediately felt ashamed for not calling earlier.

"Mick, where gave you been?" she demanded without greeting. "I called you before!"

"I know and I'm sorry. I was in no position to answer but I should have called back. I'm outside now. Can you come out? I'll drive you home."

"Why don't you come in?"

"My appearance would raise too many questions," he replied in a tone that implied that he would say no more.

There was a pause, then a sigh. "Fine. But what do you want me to tell Anna?"

"Tell her I'll come by tomorrow."

"Okay…" Her voice trailed off and she paused again. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I am now," he told her soothingly, sensing that she had wanted to ask that all along.

"And did you take care of—"

"Yes."

"I'm glad."

"Me too."

"I'll see you in a few?"

"See you in a few," he confirmed.


	33. Chapter 33

Kind readers, thank you to each and everyone one of you for your feedback, and even if you haven't left any, thank you just for reading! I know I posted a handful of chapters at once because I started posting late, so thank you for taking the time to read all those chapters. This fic was lots of fun to write and reading all the responses has been just as fun. So for the last time, please do feel free to leave your reviews!

**Disclaimer: **Moonlight and characters don't belong to me; I'm simply a fan having fun with the characters.

* * *

"Okay, Mick, you know there's nothing I love more than a good mystery, but I can't take the suspense anymore. I've been patient, I've answered all your questions; judging from the way you look, I understand you need to rest but still, now it's _your_ turn." 

He smiled ruefully. "I knew it was only a matter of time before you pounced."

"I think it's only fair." Beth waited for him to come to a stop at a red light, then reached over and touched the hole on his shirt. "You get a battle wound like this and you automatically have a story." She pulled her hand away. "Will you tell it?"

"Of course." Mick turned to face her, eyes shimmering softly. "If not for you, I wouldn't have the chance to tell any story."

Beth met his gaze, startled. "What do you mean? I was at Anna's the whole time…"

"Soon," he promised. "You'll understand everything soon."

"Okay, so start already," she burst out, unable to help it. She shot him a sheepish look. "Sorry."

Mick turned his attention back to the wheel, laughing. A moment later, his expression smoothed into seriousness and he began to speak. "It was lucky you left when you did; not long after you were gone, Shane returned." Mick shook his head. "If there's one thing we underestimated, it was his determination to make his whole setup with Gilly work. He was much, much angrier than I had expected. Almost came after you himself…"

_Shane's eyes gleamed with madness as he brought the stake down. He was beyond reason, beyond listening. The only thing on his mind was getting Gilly back and if that meant making this sacrifice, so be it. The stake was an earthy brown arc in the air, its aim true, but it never met its target._

_The stillness of the area and the sequence of the events about to unfold were thrown by the sudden shrill ring of Mick's phone. The stake angled in Shane's grasp and though it sank into Mick's flesh, it jammed harmlessly against his rib. Mick's pupils contracted into eerie pinpoints as he hissed in pain. In a lightning-quick movement, he wrapped both hands around the stake and yanked it viciously from his chest. A single shove from those same hands caused Shane to sail into an overgrowth of neglected shrubs and weeds. _

_Mick leapt after him, the debris from which he sprang tracing his graceful trajectory. He landed in a crouch and pushed one hand against Shane's lower chest, partly to balance himself, partly to keep Shane pinned down. "Shouldn't have done _that_," he told Shane venomously, fangs fully extended and pushing tautly at the flesh above his chin. A trickle of blood dribbled from the end of one fang and disappeared into darkness. Silence wrapped around them again, heavy and ominous, as Mick's phone quieted abruptly._

"_You're making a mistake," Shane shouted hoarsely. "Gilly needs me!"_

"_See, I was going to let you live, thought you would understand that you need to leave your mortal life behind. Gilly has Anna; she doesn't need you!"_

"_I didn't ask for this. I shouldn't have to give up everything for a life I never asked for!"_

"_Goodbye, Shane." Mick drove the stake deep into Shane's chest, taking satisfaction in the way blood erupted from the point of entry in thin streams that pooled around the wound. He stared into Shane's unseeing eyes, trying to decide how he should dispose of him. He had had enough of blood and didn't want to spill anymore tonight… It wasn't until several minutes had passed did he remember the Cleaner and her services._

_Luckily for Mick, she had just done a cleanup at a nearby part of the city and within ten minutes after he had placed his call, she arrived._

"_Quite a mess you have here, St. John," she remarked. "Don't tell me I'll be hearing from you from frequently now."_

"_It was just a one-time thing," he assured her. He flicked his head toward Shane's body. "Can you get rid of him?"_

_She raised her eyes. "What did he do?"_

"_You've heard of the infant kidnapping and the petty thievery that's been going on, I'm sure. Well he's your perp."_

"_We'll make sure he doesn't do it again," she promised. "Looks like you have some work of your own to do—you look like hell."_

"_Thanks," Mick replied wryly. "Is there anything else you need to know? Or can I go now?"_

_She let her gaze sweep the scene. "That's all, I think. We'll call you if anything unusual turns up."_

_Mick hurried away, glad to be leaving the reek of the bank. Between the fire twenty years ago and his near-fatal experience tonight, he hoped it was a long time before he found himself here again. He didn't realize how exhausted he was until he got to his car and collapsed behind the wheel. In his mind, he compiled a to-do list: make sure Gilly was okay, talk to Anna, drop Beth off, and finally, go home for some much needed rest. He repeated the list over and over again and in this single-minded state, drove to Anna's. _

_It wasn't until he was well past halfway to his destination that he remembered to check his call log. When he saw Beth's name next to the missed call, he felt a faint stir of emotions. She had saved him again… even miles away, unaware of what was happening, she had managed to be there for him. And once again, Mick wondered if there was anything he could ever do that would come close to repaying all she had done for him._

"Oh my god…" Beth drew her hands to her mouth. He had told her everything, everything but the last part, which he kept to himself. He knew that even though he hadn't directly told her, she was sharp enough to guess the part she had played in all this.

"So now that you know all this, what's your official story for Buzzwire going to be?"

Beth sighed yet. "I don't know yet. Right now, I just want to go home and forget all this…"

"Hmm. I know the feeling."

* * *

When Mick pulled up in front of Beth's building, the sound of the running engine was the only thing that could be heard. Both felt as if there was something that needed to be said but neither could put into words what it was and so, neither of them spoke. 

"Thank you," they both said at the same time. They laughed.

"You know why I'm thanking you," Mick said, raising his eyes. "Why are you thanking me?"

"Because for the first time today, I have no regrets about breaking up with Josh."

"That's… good. That's good, I'm glad for you…"

"I know you are, even if you hadn't said it." She smiled. "Thank you for saying it." She climbed out of the car. "Will you escort me upstairs?"

"Sure," he agreed. He followed her to the door and they lapsed into another silence as they made their way to Beth's apartment. He didn't speak until she was in her apartment, standing at the door and looking out. "Good night, Beth."

"Good night, Mick." But she still didn't close the door. Instead, she continued to watch him. He turned to leave. "Mick, wait…"

He turned back, concerned by her tone. "What is it?"

"I know I said I have no regrets, but…" Her fingers twisted rapidly around the edge of the door as she spoke. "Can you stay? Just for awhile… it's just been too quiet since this afternoon, too easy to feel alone…" Her eyes flitted from the floor to the door, then to the wall; anywhere but at Mick. "I know you're tired and you need to get cleaned up but I have hot water, and gauze, and—"

"Okay." Mick reached over and pried her fidgeting hand from the door. "I'll stay."

Her shoulders sank and she closed her eyes. "Really?"

"Yes." He stepped inside and let the door fall closed. "See? I'm here, staying, not going anywhere."

She rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him gratefully. "I've said this a lot tonight but thank you. I just… I couldn't… I just need someone tonight… We don't even have to talk about anything, least of all, _us_. I mean, I want to, but I know where you stand in all this and I know you're not ready so…"

"Shh, shh… It's all going to be okay." Mick pressed his nose against her hair and breathed in her scent. He felt his fatigue recede just the slightest and he too, began to believe what he had told her: that it would all be okay.

**End**


End file.
